When tennis players representing five schools gather at Cape Coral High School Monday to start the District 3A-11 Tournament, the topic of conversation likely will include: Can anyone pry the team championship trophy from the grasp of the Fort Myers Green Wave?

The Mariner girls (12-2) and Ida Baker boys (11-2) could have something to say about who comes away with the respective crowns.

“(Our) guys have played well this season,” said Baker boys’ coach Karlene Hampton. “They have worked hard to improve their skills. I hope they can hold it together in districts and not get nervous, but I believe they will go out and do well. They have great promise and potential.”

The Bulldogs are seeking the school’s first boys’ district tennis title.

Candidates to lead the Bulldogs to the trophy include (No. 1) Nick Boye, who lost just three singles matches this season. (No. 2) Matt Harrison and (No. 4) Jaryd Wydock each dropped just one singles match all season.

Boye and Harrison team up in the No. 1 doubles bracket while Wydock and Caleb Littlestone battle for the No. 2 doubles bracket.

“We are confident going into district,” said Hampton. “They are all dedicated (players) and deserving to win. On any given day, anything can happen.”

The top four seeded players in each of the five singles brackets begin quarterfinal round play at 8:30 a.m. with the winners advancing to the semifinal round at 11:30 a.m. Championship singles matches will be played at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

In doubles, again the top four seeded pairs in the two brackets begin quarterfinal matches at 10 a.m. Winners play semifinal matches at 9 a.m. Tuesday followed by the finals at noon after the singles finals.

“Fort Myers is above everyone,” said North Fort Myers girls’ coach Linda Caracciolo. “Everyone else is after that.”

While Caracciolo does not expect the Red Knights (12-3) to contest for the girls’ team title, (No. 3) Tanya Moore (12-2) and (No. 4) Roodelyne Forvil (13-1) have a chance to advance in their respective singles brackets.

District 2A-11 at Estero: Island Coast and defending district champion Bishop Verot plus seven other schools compete for the boys’ and girls’ titles starting at 9 a.m. Monday.

The Vikings swept both team titles last season, and favored to repeat as champions again. That would make five in a row for the boys and four in a row for the girls.

Verot’s girls are unbeaten this season.

(No. 3) Nia-Marie Eddie and (No. 4) Marilyn Merkli have not lost a singles match this season while (No. 1) Linda Kornienko and (No. 2) Mariel Rickert lost just once. Kornienko and Rickert are unbeaten in doubles as are Eddie and Kathleen Norris.

“We are hoping to sweep the district again,” said Vikings girls coach Mary Gibson, “and likely will meet Lely for the regional championship again.”

District play was split up into two two-day sessions this year. Girls start play Monday and Tuesday while the boys take the courts Wednesday and Thursday.