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This morning, Foothill held its first annual Prewitt Tennis Match. The game is dedicated to Chris Prewitt, a former Foothill teacher who passed away earlier this year.

Prewitt originally wished to challenge the two best Foothill students in a doubles match with Bioethics teacher Richard Geib. After Prewitt’s untimely passing, Geib decided to dedicate the game to Prewitt, and it will now be held every year. He believes the new tradition will add to the school’s character.

Geib wanted to both honor Prewitt’s memory and draw hype around Foothill’s new athletics program.

“I thought this would be a great way to get momentum behind Foothill athletics,” said Geib. “It’s [Prewitt’s] kind of thing.”

Geib challenged Dee Lucas and Paul Stockdill, two Foothill seniors who are team captains for Buena High School’s tennis team. The match was originally set to be held at Buena’s tennis courts, but when the players arrived, they found Buena’s tennis team already using the courts. They decided to move the match to Ventura College, where Geib and his doubles partner, Steve Johnson, won with a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.

“It was bittersweet to be out there without [Prewitt,]” said Geib. “Chris would have loved this!”

Geib and Johnson received a tennis racquet as a trophy for their win. The racquet was decorated by senior Mackenzie Lowry, and features a dragon emblem and Prewitt’s initials on the handle. The racquet will be displayed in Geib’s classroom.

Geib was “more than happy” with the outcome of both the trophy and the tennis match. 

“If we do anything at Foothill, we go ahead and do it well,” said Geib.

This article was updated at 4:15 p.m. on May 19, 2014.

Background Photo Credit: Josh Ren/The Foothill Dragon Press