Unbeaten Warriors have bigger goals ahead

The road to the girls' state tennis tournament has begun and one team hoping to bring home the team title is Cedar Rapids Washington. The Warriors had an outstanding regular season, posting a 16-0 record heading into Saturday's team regional in Eldridge.

The  individual regional is today in Waterloo.

This obviously is a special group, as evidene by their over-the-top combined record of 137-7.

“This is an incredibly talented team, with very hard workers,” Washington Coach Dan Reynor wrote in an email before the individual regional. “The team set a goal this year to be undefeated and reach the state finals.

“They enjoy the sport and most of the time are a very positive group of girls.”

Senior Katie Hammond, the No. 1 singles player, is 16-0. The four-year letterwinner finished third in state singles last season and seventh the year before. Junior Kristen King at No. 2 is 16-0, and freshman Lily Hartman and seniors Olivia Brooks Lanie Sabin are 15-1. Sophomore Rina Moore rounds out the singles team with a 13-1 record.

“I feel very fortunate to be associated with this group of girls,” Reynor wrote. “In addition to rewriting the record books at Washington for wins, shutouts, state qualifiers and undefeated players at one time, they are tremendous students with the highest GPA of any sports team two years running.”

In their first match Saturday at North Scott, the Warriors will face Cedar Rapids Xavier.

“We beat Xavier 9-0 earlier this year,” Reynor wrote, “and we will play them the best we can. Thinking positively, we will then deal with who comes next and take it one match at a time.”

Reynor said the 2012 season is one to remember.

“Our goal is the state meet in Iowa City on June 2,” he wrote. “But regardless of the goal, this season has been phenomenal already.”