Three varsity singles players return this season to guide the Oak Harbor High School tennis team.

Senior Maddie McKenzie is slated to play first singles, while senior Emma Wezeman and junior Meng Juan Timm are battling to see who will play second and third singles, according to coach Horace Mells.

The team’s two other returning letter winners — seniors Johanna Schmidt and Katrina Martinez — will compete in doubles.

Among the newcomers to the varsity, junior Sierra Brackeen is set to man fourth singles.

The remaining doubles teams, Mells said, will be filled from the group of seniors Taliah Black and Silvia Braghin; juniors Emily Gouge, Danielle Lonborg, Shaina Aguirre, Monique Stolmeier, Elica Atienza and Jasmine Schultz; sophomore Elaine Aguirre; and freshman Annie Salinger.

Mells said the team’s strength is its experience in singles play, while its weakness is in doubles “while first-time players are learning the style of play and gaining familiarity with their partners.”

The goals are to finish in the top three in the Wesco North, win at least 10 of 16 matches and qualify at least one singles player and one doubles team for district, Mells said.

Oak Harbor, which finished 5-7 and fifth in the Wesco North last year (7-9 overall), heads to Mount Vernon (7-9) for the season opener at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13.