By Ron Bevan | [email protected] 

Draper -  This just might be the year Corner Canyon makes some noise in high school tennis. Not only is the team ready to take on preseason and region matches, but it also brings the most experience yet to the three-year-old team.

All but one player from last year are back on this year’s varsity squad. The only player lost wasn’t because of graduation but because an exchange student moved back to Spain.

“We have a lot of good players coming back this year,” number-one singles player Nick Sepulveda said. “We went four and two in region play last year, but I think this year will be better for us.”

Sepulveda is the returning number-one singles player, and the only number-one singles player in school history, having held that position since he was a freshman. Now a junior, Sepulveda knows the rest of the team looks to him for guidance due to his experience.

Sepulveda began playing tennis when he was 10 years old. He watched his older sister play and knew it was a sport he wanted to try.

“My sister played high school tennis for Juan Diego,” Sepulveda said. “She made it to state all four years she played.”

Sepulveda has already made it to state his first two years. He lost his first match as a freshman but last year made it to the quarterfinals.

Miguel Salvador, the exchange student from Spain, played on last year’s number-two doubles team. He and partner Nate Cutler were region 7 champions last year at the number-one doubles slot and took their first match in the 2015 state 4A tennis finals. Though they lost shortly afterward, they were the only Chargers besides Sepulveda to make the state tournament.

But Cutler may be moved to number-three singles this season, according to Sepulveda. His style of play would merit a move to the singles side, although not every position is cemented in just yet.

“I will probably stay at number-one singles, and it looks like David Comish will be number-two singles,” Sepulveda said. “The third slot looks like it will come down to Cutler and Bennett Moody. Whichever one doesn’t play singles will be on the first doubles team.”

Along with Sepulveda, Comish, Cutler and Moody, returning varsity players and second team doubles partners are Logan Plumber and Jacob Boyle, although one of them may move up to number-one doubles as the season progresses.

The final slot to fill looks like it might go to senior Abe Burton, who saw some varsity action last season but mostly honed his skills at the junior varsity level.

Corner Canyon also has some good freshman on this year’s squad that will challenge for time at varsity.

“We have been getting the newer kids at a better starting point for their play,” Sepulveda said. “This year we are more mature and the younger kids are playing at a greater level.”