Hartsville tennis team has plenty of fresh faces

“It’s going to be a rebuilding year,” said Brian Howell, tennis coach for Hartsville High School.

“We’ve got a big task ahead of us because Hartsville girls’ tennis has done so well in the last six, seven, eight years,” Howell said.

“I only have two people in the starting lineup who were in the starting lineup last year,” he said. “That presents a huge gap in terms of players.”

The team consists of 16 girls, 6 of whom are returning players. Senior team members are Tiffany Amerson, Kristin Atkinson, Melli Baldwin and Megan Manson.

Baldwin and Carly Phillips are the team’s number one doubles team, according to Howell. Top singles players include Baldwin, Phillips, Lindsay Godwin and Amerson.

“Carly Phillips will do extremely well. She’s shown a lot of improvement as well as Lindsay Godwin. She’s come a long way,” said Howell. “I’m going to expect those girls to step up into positions that were played last year by seniors.”

Both Phillips and Godwin are eighth-graders at Hartsville Middle.

“I’ve also picked up an assistant coach, Molly Soto,” said Howell. “She’s done a tremendous job working with some of the younger girls and trying to get them ready.”

Howell, a Darlington native, played tennis for Darlington High and at Coker College for three years. He began his foray into coaching by teaching tennis lessons. Once he started teaching high school, he became the team’s coach. He teaches 10th grade English and 12th grade honors English at Hartsville High.

Howell coaches girls’ tennis in the fall and boys’ tennis in spring. This is his second year coaching.

“I enjoy the competition,” said Howell. “I also enjoy the camaraderie I get from working with the girls and watching them grow as tennis players and people.

“We have a great time together win or lose.”