Defending a Far East tennis title takes more than waving a team banner or individual first-place medal at opponents.

Coaches and players who came away with titles during last year’s Far East high school tennis tournament say they’re all too aware of the challenges they face this week at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

“We must focus on the task at hand. One match at a time,” said McKinzy Best, who coaches defending Far East Division II team champion E.J. King and its reigning singles and doubles champions, Moa and Miu Best.

“There are a lot of good teams out there. We have to bring our A game, every match. No team is taken for granted. Whoever is up next, that’s who we play. Every match.”

Likewise, defending Far East Division I team champion Humphreys must “fight for every point,” new Blackhawks coach Marco Valdez said.

“We know there’s going to be some obstacles ahead of us,” Valdez said. “We have to make sure we’re as mentally ready as we can be.”

There’s also plenty new with this year’s Far East tournament, which for the first time since 2007 is being played somewhere other than Kadena Air Base’s Risner Tennis Complex.

Matthew C. Perry hosts, with matches taking place Wednesday-Friday (weather permitting), on four courts each at Iwakuni Middle School and Atago Housing Area, organizers said.

For the first time, players will face opponents segregated by division, until the final day when the singles, doubles and mixed doubles champs of each division will face each other for overall titles.

As in years past, all players must play doubles, then choose to play either singles or mixed doubles, organizers said.

The tournament format is single-elimination, with mixed doubles and singles scheduled for the first day, doubles the second and finals on Thursday and Friday.

Matches might be different for some of the participating teams. Some played two sets to four or six points, others played single sets to six or eight points during the regular season. Brackets are to be seeded by blind draw.

“We won’t know who we’re going to face in the first round,” Valdez said. “So we’re kind of ready for the unexpected. A lot of the teams, we haven’t played before this season.”

The long-range forecast calls for rain Wednesday morning, hence the delayed start, with partly to mostly cloudy skies Thursday and Friday. A forecast of poor weather for Saturday forced tournament organizers to move the finals up to Friday.

All DODEA-Japan teams faced each other regardless of division, and King also traveled to Osan to play the Cougars and Daegu. Humphreys tried to host Kubasaki, but those matches were rained out.

Playing against large schools “brings up our level of competition,” Best said. “But we have some strong Division II teams out there.”

That would include Yokota’s boys, with reigning Far East singles champion Ryunosuke Roesch, a sophomore, and his freshman brother Kotaro. Perry’s top girls singles player is Sasha Malone and Zama’s top boy Kai Fredendall, each seniors.

“Ryunosuke and his brother, they’re no joke,” Best said. “They’re good players. Nothing is handed to us. We have to go get it if we want it.”

Best’s daughters will again play singles and doubles. ““We know where our strengths are; the boys are growing and getting stronger, our girls are the hammer,” the elder Best said.

As for Humphreys, they return the reigning Far East boys doubles champion, Elliott Lee, and mixed doubles champion, Dylan Byun. The Blackhawks have played mostly Division I opposition in Korea. Lee lost in the boys singles final last year to Ryunosuke Roesch.

“We’re a little more prepared,” Valdez said.

Okinawa brings an experienced veteran core as well. Kadena junior Brooke Brewer won the island girls singles title, while Kubasaki seniors Jacy Fisk and Lan Legros are the island’s two-time mixed doubles champions.

Who wins and loses comes down to who plays their best game during the four Far East days, Best said. “It’s about whoever shows up that day,” he said.

Far East High School Tennis Tournament

Dates and site — Wednesday, Oct. 16-Friday, Oct. 18, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

Format — Boys and girls singles and doubles, mixed doubles, single-elimination. Each team carries four boys and four girls on its roster; each player must play doubles and may choose to play either singles or mixed doubles.

Participating schools — Division I: Kadena Panthers, Kubasaki Dragons, Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Humphreys Blackhawks. Division II: E.J. King Cobras, Matthew C. Perry Samurai, Yokota Panthers, Zama Trojans, Robert D. Edgren Eagles, Osan Cougars, Daegu Warriors.

Returning champions — Boys singles: Ryunosuke Roesch, Yokota; girls singles: Moa Best, King; boys doubles: Elliot Lee, Humphreys; girls doubles: Best and Miu Best, King; mixed doubles: Dylan Byun, Humphreys.