Last year, the Westside girls varsity tennis team won the state championship for the second time in three years. Now, with many players graduated, the team faces a rebuilding year.

“Any time you have a player who graduates, especially like McKinney [Harwood] and Sydney [Harlow] — they’re great players who you can’t replace,” head coach Shaun McMahon said. “You have to rebuild with what you have.”

Although the team has yet to play in a competition, McMahon has already noticed the team’s next great player.

“Lizzie [Harwood] has definitely taken a leadership role,” McMahon said. “She’s the team captain this year. She has sought out leadership responsibilities even before the season started.”

Harwood has the opportunity to fully lead the team and live up to her sister’s legacy, although she isn’t the only player already showing improvement.

“I’ve seen some very promising things from last year’s [junior varsity] players Cara Treu and Hannah Peters,” McMahon said. “They have shown consistency that has allowed them to excel in their new roles as varsity athletes.”

Yet McMahon says the teams goals are no different than any other year.

“I don’t like to enter seasons with too many expectations,” McMahon said. “I like to enter seasons expecting to realize our full potential.”

The girls begin their title defense with a match against Benson Thursday, March 26, at Tranquility Park.