Athlete Of The Week: Ella Cutter

HARWICH – Among all three of the Monomoy girls tennis team’s tournament contests this year, there was at least one notable thread of continuity: eighth grader Ella Cutter winning her match.

Cutter, in second singles, won 6-1, 6-0 against No. 19 seed Palmer in the round of 16 last Wednesday. Cutter then won 6-2, 6-3 Sunday against No. 6 seed Manchester Essex in the quarterfinals, though the Sharks were defeated as a team 4-1.

“I just went into it confident, and I was just excited to play,” Cutter said after the quarterfinals. “I’m bummed our team couldn’t pull through, but I think we all played some of the best tennis we’ve played.” 

Head coach Bill Burke said Cutter played “so steady, so solid.”

“You hear eighth grader, but she is match-ready and match-mature beyond her years, and she’s been such a big contributor, and she really lifts up all the players on the team at practice,” he said.

A Harwich resident, Cutter has slotted into a trio of singles players for Monomoy which Burke said he’d put up “against anybody.”

“What a big, wonderful addition to the team,” Burke said. “Super consistent player, great all-around game.”

Cutter, after her win against Palmer,  said the year had “been a great experience.”

“I’ve really enjoyed this whole season,” she said. “My team has been great, really supportive. I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been very fun.”

With two sophomores in Hanadi Rezk and Darcy Addison rounding out the Sharks singles players in addition to Cutter, there’s a lot to look forward to for Monomoy.

“I’m feeling like we’re going to be a dominant force in the league for the next two years at least,” Burke had said earlier this year.