With the return of his top two singles players, Oak Harbor High School tennis coach Horace Mells said his team should have a shot at finishing among the first three in the Wesco North standings this spring.

Other goals for Mells are for his club to win at least 10 of its 16 matches and advance at least one singles player and one doubles team to district.

Oak Harbor won eight matches and finished third in the North with a 3-5 mark last year.

The Wildcats lost seven players to graduation, but the cupboard is far from bare.

Back are eight letter winners, including senior Mackenzie Perry and junior AnnaBelle Whitefoot, the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players from 2014.

Perry earned first-team, all-Wesco North honors last season and finished third in the divisional singles tournament.

Another returning letter winner, senior Allysa Eden, will fill the third or fourth singles spot.

The other returnees — seniors Hannah Gluth, Ellysa Bonganay, Erin Horikawa and Patrice Woodworth and junior Ria Bains — will help fill out the doubles teams.

Newcomer Tamia Rios, a sophomore, is likely to play singles, Mells said.

Also battling to help in doubles are the other key newcomers: senior Emily Black; juniors Lauren Aspery, Elma Marie Empinado and Julia Smith; and sophomore Emma Lerch.

“I like the newly acquired players,” Mells said. “I have seen all of them practicing during the offseason, and they have the ability and potential to be much more than adequate replacements for those we lost to graduation.”

The Wildcats begin the season with three home matches. Lake Stevens is up first at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.