Youth rules the day when it comes to the Columbia Falls girls tennis this year. The team returns just one player who made it to the state tournament last year — Gabrielle Stenger.

Stenger went 1-2 last year at the state Class A tournament last year as a junior and took fourth in the divisional tournament. As a team, the Kats took seventh at the state tournament.

The Wildkats will also look for good things from returning players Natalie Law and Gabby Keller.

Coach Jerry Smalley said most of the more than 35 girls on the squad are underclassmen.

“It’s a big squad, even by our standards,” he said.

The team does have some experience beyond Stenger and Law.

“Early in the season, we obviously look more closely at the kids who played some varsity tennis last season, including McKenna Emmerich, Emma Covill, Tiffany Borland, Casey Bauer, Micinze Christofferson and Keller,” Smalley said.

The girls are scheduled to open their season March 27 against Ronan and then travel to Whitefish to play the Lady Bulldogs on March 29. Whitefish and Polson should be tough again this year.

Smalley is assisted by Erin Quintia, who coaches the junior varsity squad.

“Every practice, coach Quintia and I are looking for some of the younger kids to step up and show they can play varsity tennis,” Smalley said.