Four local schools will feature girls’ tennis teams in the 2016 spring athletics season, all competing in the Tri-County League North.

Frontier Regional School (13-1, 7-1 TCL North) and Turners Falls High School (10-6, 7-1 North) come into the season as 2015 defending league co-champs, while Greenfield looks to improve on its 7-6 (4-4) 2015 record, and Mohawk hopes to better its 3-10 (2-6) 2015 mark.

Greenfield

The Green Wave managed a third-place league finish in 2015, but finished its season strong, going 5-1 in its last six matches to earn a tournament appearance. Head coach Brian Campbell hopes his squad can gather momentum earlier this season and improve on last year’s mark.

While there is still a competition going on to fill out both the singles and doubles pairings, sophomore Jenna Silk will be the top singles player, and seniors Allie Fortin and Rachel Howe have the inside track on the top doubles pairing.

Three players are fighting for the remaining two singles slots, those being seniors Eugenia Cojocara and Katie Lamp and freshman Liliya Georgitsa.

Campbell also said that junior Alyssa Garvin has been very strong since practices started, and that sophomore Leah Bosco has shown a lot of promise as well. Also competing for time are sophomores Chloe Lunt, Nancy Serano, Tayaba Hamayun and Ana-Maria Blagadarenco, as well as freshman Tabitha Calloon and eighth-grader Katherine Fortin.

“We have some good young talent and hope to improve on our third-place finish from last year as well as getting back to the tournament,” said Campbell.

Greenfield travels to Turners Falls on Wednesday at 4 p.m. for the season opener.

Frontier

The Red Hawks look to be highly competitive this season with a team very heavy in veteran leadership, but the team also lost three key contributors from last season: Aidan O’Brien, who played first singles as a seventhgrader and was undefeated, Shelby Telega and Crysral Niedbala.

While head coach Steve Barrett will feel the loss of those players, he is confident that the players he has left are more than capable of continuing the program’s success.

Last year’s second singles player, junior Celia Speth, is being pushed very hard by senior Alli Zera for this year’s No. 1 spot, and Barrett is enjoying watching the battle.

“They’re both working hard, pushing each other,” said Barrett.

Whoever ends up at the top, the Hawks are set for first and second singles. Competing for third singles are seniors Lily Schumann and Ashley Barrington, who also have junior Morgan Farrick right on their heels.

“Lily and Ashley may be a little bit of an edge with their experience,” said Barrett. “But if the opportunity arises I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to put Morgan out their for third singles.”

One doubles team is set, as last year’s second doubles duo of senior Ericka Poissant and junior Tori Bowen returns and looks to take the top spot this year. Also competing for time are returning sophomore Anna Zera and eighth-grader Tori Speth, along with newcomers junior Helena Diaz and freshman Penelope Hosley.

“It’s a meritocracy,” said Barrett. “The girls know that if they want to play they have to be better than the competition. We have a team that’s very supportive of each other, but when they face off against each other, at that time, they aren’t friends anymore.”

While Barrett loves fostering such competition among his players, he is at heart all about player development.

“We had 28 girls come out this year, and while our active roster is just 11, everyone who continues to come out will get some court time during practices,” said Barrett. “The most important thing is that the kids learn and have fun, that they love to play the game.”

Frontier opens its season Monday at 4 p.m. when it travels to Chicopee Comprehensive High School.

Mohawk

While the Warriors may have a tough task catching up with some of the bigger, more experienced squads in the TCL North, co-coach Chris Seaver is confident that even though his team has only 10 players, it will be a much improved product in 2016.

“We have six returning players from last year, all three singles players, as well as three of the four doubles players,” said Seaver.

While this year’s order is not yet set, senior Nelly O’Connell, who was in the top slot last year, is back as well as last year’s No. 2, sophomore Lilly Seaver, and No. 3, Mary Monohon.

Returning senior Kylee Cole and sophomore Rosalie Kinsey are in the driver’s seat for the top doubles slot, with returning sophomore Corrinn Freeman is slotted to play second doubles with a partner yet to be determined.

Candidates for that slot are new arrivals, sophomore Charlotte Holdesied, freshman Grace Gokey, and seventh-graders Eva Markham and Nece Rawlings.

“With only two seniors and no juniors, the team is still a young team but several experienced sophomores should help it be competitive this year and for years to come,” said Seaver, who will co-coach with Dave DeHerdt.

Mohawk opens it season at home Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Chicopee Comprehensive High School.

Turners Falls

Head coach Victor Gonzalez feels very good about his team’s chances going into the season, though he will be coaching a squad that has just eight returning players, none of them seniors. Six of the returnees are juniors, one a sophomore, and one a middle-schooler.

“Practices have been going well, and several of the newcomers look promising,” said Gonzalez.

Of all the veterans, only junior Alysha Wozniak has consistent singles experience, recording a 10-5 record in 2015. Fellow juniors Kortney Thurber, Kaili Lynch and Hailey Trott will all be competing for the remaining two singles spots, but all have great doubles backgrounds and will contribute to the team in one role or another.

Other players who will be competing for doubles slots will be sophomore Carlie Kretchmar, juniors Alexys Perkins and Jaynise Burton, and seventh-grader Amber Taylor.

New players who will challenge the returnees include sophomores Rachel Tucker and Alora Deforge, as well as freshmen Sam Bocon, Sarah Waldron and Quinn Lucas.

“All in all, it should be a promising season with the seasoned players getting pushed by the eager newcomers,” said Gonzalez. “With our six experienced returning players, we hope to have as decent a shot as any other team in the Valley.”

The Indians get their season started when they host Greenfield Wednesday at 4 p.m.