The tennis season is already underway, having started on Monday.

Four area schools will sport teams again this season.

Leading the way is Lehighton, which posted a solid 9-4 mark a year ago and has both Cokrlija brothers — Bayto and Bekim — returning.

Other area teams include Jim Thorpe, Palmerton and Pleasant Valley.

JIM THORPE

Head coach – Emilio Mercado (2nd year)

Assistant coach – Nathan White

Last year’s record – 0-15 overall

Key players lost – Max Priore – an 11th-grader – is sidelined this season due to an off-season injury.

Key returnees – Alex Plesniarski and Ian Walk – both 11th-grade singles’ players – return for another season. Coach Mercado spoke about what both players mean to the program. “Alex is our captain and an overall great player. He ensures everyone on the team feels supported, and is ready to help his teammates with their techniques or strategy.” As for Walk, a multi-sport athlete at Thorpe, Mercado said, “As a soccer player, Ian has incredible speed and hustle on the court. He chases down every tennis ball, and his unpredictable movements keep his opponents and teammates on their toes.”

Others to watch – Evan Rosenbrook (Sr., singles) and Trent Sutphin (So., doubles).

Strengths – Mercado, who also played tennis for the Olympians in high school, knows his program’s biggest strength will be the overall team morale. “With an increase in team size, we’ve welcomed new players who are just starting to learn the sport,” he said. “Our focus is building their confidence, and improving consistency where everyone can succeed and play a good tennis match.”

Weaknesses – As a relatively new team, Mercado anticipates that there will be “some challenges in the early matches, especially with nerves and the flow of the game.” However, once his players settle in and gain match experience over time, Mercado believes this area of concern will diminish and confidence will grow.

Outlook – “Each player has their own individual goals, but as a team we share one common objective: win enough matches and qualify for team districts,” said Mercado. “With being in the Colonial League, we’re excited to see how far we can go together and make it a memorable year.”

LEHIGHTON

Head coach – Cody Schuler (5th year)

Last year’s record – 9-4 overall

Key players lost – Michael Bowman (doubles player)

Key returnees – Bayto Cokrlija (Sr., 11-1 record last season), Bekim Cokrlija (Jr., 10-2 record), and Isaac Carpenter (Sr.) have been practicing hard during the off season and are ready to take on the competition in the Colonial League.

Others to watch – Dante Kalbach (Sr.), Phillip Ebbert (Jr.), Jed Cordes (So.) and Julian May (Sr.) are all trying to solidify spots on the Indians’ doubles teams. Other seniors who have helped the team over the past few years include Anna Howland, Patrick Devitt and Savanna Wehr.

Strengths – The Indians have an experienced team with several upperclassmen helping to lead the Tribe with leadership. Schuler commented that having the seniors around helps the younger players within the program better their game each and every day.

Weaknesses – Schuler was quick to point out a concern at the serving line. “Some players need to work on getting a solid second serve,” said the fifth-year Indians’ coach. “We don’t want any lollipops or double faults.”

Outlook – “I think that we are going to have a strong season this year,” said Schuler of expectations for the 2025 season. “We have solid singles players and have an experienced team, retaining 16 players from last season. We took on four new freshmen, including two who are avid tennis players — Allie Conrad and Anna Hawk.”

PALMERTON

Head coach – Jen Danzeisen (8th year)

Last year’s record – 5-12 overall (4-9 Colonial League)

Key players lost –The Bombers take a hit at No. 3 doubles with the absence of senior Jared Reinhard, who won seven matches as a first-year varsity player last season.

Key returnees – Levi Johnson may only be a 10th-grader, but the Bombers’ veteran coach has “high hopes” for him in singles action. A year ago, Johnson played No. 2 singles as a young underclassman. “He has strong technique and skills, so I’m hoping he will come back stronger this year,” said Danzeisen. Other key returnees for the Bombers will be Hadlee Lake, Colton Ruzicka and Anderson Garcia. “They were my doubles starters, and I foresee some of them moving up on the ladder this season.”

Others to watch – Kevin O’Neil and Josh Merkel were both exhibition players last year for the Bombers, and Danzeisen feels “both improved a lot since last year. I hope to see them in the lineup.” Lauryn Harris, Bryce Willis and Matt Breiner are all new to the team, and “they are all picking up the strokes very fast, and they can hustle.”

Strengths – “I would say my players really love the game, they are athletic, they listen, and they work on trying to improve their weaknesses,” said Danzeisen of what will be the key to the Bombers’ success this season. “They are respectful and supportive of their team members, their coach, and the opposing team players.”

Weaknesses – Tennis is not a year-round sport in Bomber Territory, and that is why it serves as an area of concern for this season. “They don’t participate in year-round lessons or practices, so I would say they still need to work on improving their strokes and strategy,” said Danzeisen. “They only had a week-and-a-half on the courts, so they had to get ready fast for our first match.”

Outlook – “I’m excited to see my team play. In the first week at practice, they were hitting great and already are improving,” said Danzeisen. “They love the game and are eager to get started. As always, I am positive and hopeful for them to achieve individual wins, points, and hopefully have more team wins this year. If they give the game a 100% effort, I will be proud of them.”

PLEASANT VALLEY

Head coach – Mark Allison (33rd year)

Assistant coach – Laura Ammermann

Last year’s record – 9-8 overall

Key players lost – Ben Keppel, Damon McMurtry, Aaron Rehrig, Chris Weiner

Key Returnees – Noah Dolan (Sr., singles), John Hargrave (So., singles), Roman Steuer (Sr., doubles), Jens Hansen (Jr., doubles), Logan Krock (Jr., doubles)

Others to watch – Isaac Klein (So., singles), Liam Angell (Jr., doubles), Noah Conklin (So., doubles), Zachary Prator (Sr., doubles)

Strengths – Allison, who returns to the helm after a year off, believes the Bears’ strength is a “great group of players working hard” together. And the seasoned coach feels the program also utilized the fact of “overall balance at both singles and doubles.”

Weaknesses – The concern right now is the amount of playing time the Bears had to work with their new doubles’ teams. The Bears only had a week to prepare them for the season.

Outlook – Back at it again, Allison is thinking of nothing but the best for his Bears. “I’m looking forward to a very successful season. They’re a great group of players to work with.”