New coach, new era: EHS boys tennis takes to the court

BY CASEY DEVINE

EPHRATA -- In his first year as head coach of Ephrata High School's boys tennis team, Greg Becker has set his sights high for his players. Becker replaces last year’s coach Courtney Burck. He was promoted to the top position after serving as EHS boys JV coach for the past three seasons. 

Becker brings previous varsity-level coaching experience to the job -- he spent five years coaching tennis at Gig Harbor High School before coming to Ephrata to teach middle school science in 2018. 

Becker plans for his Tigers to come out swinging in Central Washington Athletic Conference competition. Last season, the boys tennis team tied for third in CWAC play with an 8-4 record.

This year’s team is a mix of new and returning faces. Senior veteran Joshua Mullings, a singles ace, looks to cement his legacy during his final season of high school tennis. Mullings finished league play last season with a 9-2 record, placed second at the CWAC district tournament, and ended his junior season by taking seventh at the WIAA 2A Boys State Tennis Singles Tournament.

The second singles position is proving to be a difficult choice, but Becker has his eye on junior Roberto Araujo.

The boys doubles matchups are still to be determined, but seniors Charles Flynn and Jacob Wolther, along with sophomores Jett Julian and Mitch Morford, have the experience to fill the first and second doubles spots. Becker also expects freshman Avery Morris to develop his game and potentially make an impact this season.

When asked about team goals this season, Becker is going all in. 

“Winning, even for a new coach, is the goal,” said Becker. “I've set my eyes on being CWAC champions from the very beginning. Of course, coaching student athletes goes much deeper than just winning. Every time we see success in the classroom, in other activities, or even at home, we count it as a win. In the end, we aim to add another league title to the Ephrata High School tennis banner come May.”

The nine-team CWAC tennis league is always formidable, but Becker points to key matches against Othello and Selah.

Becker wants Tiger tennis fans “to be ready to see a group that is going to leave it all on the court. Each player will have personal goals each match and are going to walk on and off the courts with their heads held high, win or lose.”

The Tigers open their 2025 season at home, hosting Chelan in a non-conference match on Tuesday, March 18, at 3 p.m. They travel to Prosser on Saturday, March 22, for their first CWAC contest.