Crowd energy boosts Monomoy girls tennis despite tournament exit – Cape Cod Times

HARWICH — Ella Cutter has done plenty in her freshman year at Monomoy High.
Cutter has played volleyball in the fall. She has performed as the second singles player for the tennis team. She has also moved up to the first singles spot about halfway through the spring.
What she has not done is lose an individual tennis match.
Zero losses in 20 attempts. Not one.
That is how it will stay following No. 5 Monomoy’s 3-2 loss to No. 12 Weston in Tuesday’s Division 3 Round of 16 match at Brooks Park.
Even though the Sharks took the loss, Cutter continued her winning ways with a 6-0, 6-1 victory. Second singles player Hanadi Rezk scored the other point with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph.
Monomoy coach Bill Burke knows he has a player in Cutter.
“I think she’s more confident (from last year to this year),” Burke said of Cutter. “Being an eighth grader last year was just an experience getting used to the team and the dynamic of the team. This year, she’s stronger. She’s hitting with more confidence. Placing the ball well, really high tennis IQ. She doesn’t try to overpower players, even though she’s got a power game. Very effective serve. She can place it anywhere she wants.”
Cutter was perhaps playing a little conservatively early in Tuesday’s match. She was not stretching for winners, per se.
She was hitting the ball hard, especially with a strong backhand. Her accuracy to all levels of the court was notable.
The more you watch her, the more you realize Cutter was not making any mistakes. Maybe a few here and there, but even on longer points, Cutter was just consistent.
It felt like a closer match, but by the end of it, Cutter posted a win and was basically dominant.
Cutter took over the first singles spot halfway through the year with a challenge match victory over Rezk. It would have been acceptable if Cutter had struggled initially at the new position.
That did not happen. Cutter took right to the promotion and began posting wins.
“It was a great experience,” Cutter said. “It was just more challenging matches, which has its pros and cons. I had a lot of fun with them. Our team, we’re just close all together. It was just an improvement that really helped our team. It helped us almost beat Martha’s Vineyard and it’s helping us now,. It was a group transition and I appreciate all my teammates for being behind my back.”
She is totally comfortable in that spot.
Cutter has the work ethic to match her talent.
“I practice a lot. I go to practice and I try to hit a little bit afterward,” Cutter said. “I try to really try and take care of myself. I rest a lot. I’m still active when we don’t (have) practices. I try to work hard all together on all parts of my game, so I’m consistent.”
She has already established herself as one of the top players on the Cape and Islands.
You don’t always want to look ahead, but it is hard not to imagine what Cutter is capable of two or three years down the line. Whatever happens, Burke knows he has a talented player in Cutter.
“She’s really even-keeled on the mental side of the game,” Burke said. “She can recover from losing a couple games. She’s just a great, all-around, solid player.”
The Sharks lost but Monomoy fans came out in droves to cheer them on.
The crowd dissipated some by the end of the match with Weston, but early on, a real vocal crowd showed up.
Burke and his players took note of the crowd, which was the best of the season for the Sharks.
At its largest, the crowd may have been 50 to 75 fans.
“Oh yeah, very exciting,” Burke said. “(It gave a boost) moreso for some of the players than others. Hanadi, she just feeds off of that. It was awesome. The school really helped bring a lot of those students over here, made it a big deal.”
Rezk did love the crowd getting involved. Many of the fans were right behind her, cheering her points.
It was just good school spirit and the Sharks loved it.
“I really enjoy having a crowd behind my back,” Rezk said. “It’s just really good to know that such a good community supports me. I love the support from our school, especially during a school day.”
Cutter loved the crowd.
“It was amazing,” Cutter said. “I appreciate everyone that came out. We all appreciated it. The pressure sometimes helps a little bit. Having that homecourt advantage, having people cheering us on, it’s helpful.”
There is only one senior of the seven players in Tuesday’s lineup, first doubles player Madison Mahfouz.
That means Monomoy has a ton of firepower coming back for 2027.
Anything can happen. Players can always transfer, or suffer an injury.
If the projected starters return, you’re looking at a wagon of a team next year. The Sharks, along with fellow heavy hitters like Martha’s Vineyard, should be right in the mix to possibly make a deep tournament run.
“We are aware (of who’s coming back), but we try to stay pretty humble,” Cutter said. “That way, we’re not anticipating anything too big. We’re just going to play every point as it is. It’s just fun to be playing with my team.”
Adam Kurkjian covers softball, baseball, girls tennis and outdoor track & field for the Cape Cod Times. You can contact him at akurkjian@gannett.com and follow him on X at @AdamKurkjian.
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