This is what spring sports coaches do: They watch the skies, check out the local TV broadcasts, read the paper and visit the Internet on a daily basis.

Hourly, even, just to keep track of the weather.

This week, scheduled tennis matches with Coupeville and Friday Harbor were cancelled or postponed due to rain.

Thursday, the Lakewood Cougars made the trek to South Whidbey and both teams were rewarded by some great tennis and dry conditions. Well, dry-ish.

By the time senior Marie Enell was wrapping up her epic three-set loss to Cougar Brittany Walsh (3-6, 6-3, 3-6), the threatening mist had segued into a steady sprinkle.

“I don’t mind playing in this weather,” Enell said. “It’s good exercise and I like the individual, one-on-one aspect of the game.”

At the end of the second set, Falcon Coach Tom Kramer and Lakewood’s Bob Walker decided the two girls should play a third.

Kramer huddled with Enell to offer some advice which is, of course, what coaches do when not watching the skies.

“I told Marie that fatigue is a factor, to play hard for each point and maintain control of the match,” Kramer said. “’If you’ve come this far you might as well go all the way.’”

On the main courts, senior Melissa Mydynski won her match 6-3, 6-2, as did junior Kelsi Lindus, 6-4, 6-0.

Lindus was pleased with her performance but not overconfident of her skill level. “At the start of the season, it’s hard to say, though I know I’ve improved a lot over last year,” she said.

In doubles action Caitie Newman and Janelle Iversen won 6-3, 6-2; Lindsey Newman and Victoria Comfort were victorious at 6-2, 6-2; Natalie Wheeler and Noelle Metz triumphed with 6-4, 6-1.

Though the numbers said otherwise, Kramer felt the team looked like they were playing their very first match.

“We played well briefly at times but were plagued by a lack of focus, some mental errors and some nerves,” Kramer said. “This match gave us a starting point, highlighting where we need to go from here.

“Hopefully everyone will want to roll up their sleeves and work to get where we need to be. First doubles and first singles played well at times, which is a reflection of their experience at this point in the season.

“The rest will need to work much harder,” Kramer concluded. “Overall, it was a beginning.”

The girls welcome Friday Harbor April 3 to resume their rain-delayed match.

Both Kramer and Wolverine coach Dick Barnes will be assiduously watching the skies until then.