Scouting Fox Valley area tennis sectionals
For every high school tennis player whose goal is to qualify for the state meet, the moment of truth has arrived.
Singles players and doubles teams must finish first, second, third or fourth in their respective sectional competitions to qualify for the state meet, which will be held at District 211 and District 214 schools on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-23.
Here's a look at what to expect at sectional competitions involving schools from the northern Fox Valley.
Elgin sectional
Teams: Dundee-Crown, Elgin, Elgin Academy, Hampshire, Huntley, Jacobs, Larkin, St. Edward, South Elgin, Streamwood
Top singles seeds: 1. Jacey Sirinit (Elg.); 2. Sydney Nowak (Jac.); 3. Jennifer Mellenthin (Str.); 4. Ale Balester (D-C); 5. Bri Roeser (Hun.); 6. Taylor Yavari (EA).
Top doubles seeds: Marcilyn Rowan/Lauren Steinkamp (Jac.); 2. Kassy Bernardo/Autumn Hackett (Jac.); 3. Sam Chapman/Lydia Jiang (Hun.); 4. Kelly Wuich/Brooke Romero (Hun.); 5. Kendall Walker/Taylor Zilch (Ham.); 6. Kathleen Fahy/Nicole Heredia (D-C).
Outlook: Jacobs aims for its seventh sectional title in eight years after its string of six straight was snapped at Elgin last year by Hampshire. The Golden Eagles return 2009 doubles state qualifiers Marcilyn Rowan and Lauren Steinkamp (26-8), who finished second at the Elgin sectional last year. Kassy Bernardo qualified last year alongside Lindsey Gardeck but this year teams with Autumn Hackett, with whom she has forged a record of 25-9 at No. 2 doubles. Sydney Nowak, a Jacobs freshman, finished fourth in singles at the Fox Valley Conference meet last week and enters with a record of 22-11. She and sophomore teammate Megan Elliott (8-3) are prepared to hold up their end of the bargain in the singles competition. Early singles exits last season cost Jacobs the team title. “Neither singles picked up points for us last year, but this year we're in a good spot, Jacobs coach Jon Betts said. “Both doubles teams are looking stronger than last year by quite a bit and our singles lineup has improved quite a bit as well. Our goal is to qualify as many girls as we can, compete and put ourselves in position to win the title. Elgin sophomore Jacey Sirinit seeks a state berth for the second straight season. She recovered from an early season illness to earn the top seed by winning 14 of 17 matches. Sirinit finished third at the Upstate Eight Conference River Division meet last week. She could face Megan Elliott in a quarterfinal. Dundee-Crown senior Ale Balester (14-18) hopes to return to the state meet after missing out last season. Jennifer Mellenthin of Streamwood (14-8) seeks her second straight state bid. Bri Roeser of Huntley (8-7) and Taylor Yavari of Elgin Academy (12-9) each are aiming to make state for the first time. Sophomore Kailey Durkin is St. Edward's best hope for a state qualification. Sam Chapman of Huntley reached state last season with a different doubles partner.
St. Charles East sectional
Teams: Bartlett, DeKalb, Geneva, Glenbard North, Kaneland, St. Charles East, St. Charles North, Sycamore, West Chicago, Wheaton Academy
Top singles seeds: 1. Liselot Koenen (SCN); 2. Veronica Behrens (Syc.); 3. Jennifer Gates (Bar.); 4. Lexi Welton (WA); 5. Annie Tourte (Gen.); 6. Emmie Chan (WA).
Top doubles seeds: Erin Bowman and Claire Hafner (SCE); 2. Carly Ausman/Claire Chlasta (Gen.); 3. Katie Gates/Gabby Gregoria (Bar.); 4. Abby Roggemann/Kate Lesswing (SCN); 5. Ashley Randazzo/Faith Oehlerking (SCN); 6. Lindsay Jurcenko/Amelia Napiorkowski (Kane.).
Outlook: St. Charles North senior Liselot Koenen won her second straight Upstate Eight Conference title last week, when she swept to a No. 1 singles victory at the River Division meet. St. Charles East's doubles team of Erin Bowman and Claire Hafner won the Upstate Eight River title on their home court. Sycamore senior Veronica Behrens is a three-time state qualifier. Bartlett freshman Jennifer Gates is positioned to reach the state tournament for the first time. She rallied from a set down to win the UEC Valley Division title last Saturday. She is ranked No. 10 in the state in the 14-year-old division and enters the sectional with a record of 17-2. “I think she'll do well because she's so mentally tough for a freshman, Bartlett coach Sue Hannula said. “She is just a really strong, strong player. She always plays with the mindset to go out and fight as hard as she can. I've never seen her give up on any point, which is very impressive for a freshman. She's 5-8, covers the court well and has sheer power behind all her ground strokes and serves. Hannula also likes the odds of her No. 1 doubles team of Katie Gates and Gabby Gregoria advancing to state, and doesn't rule out a qualification by No. 2 singles player Jen Perato based on her ability to mix it up with drop shots. Perato would have to beat Wheaton Academy freshman Lex Welton in a sectional quarterfinal to reach state. Geneva's Annie Tourte finished fourth at the UEC River meet last week. Emmie Chan of Wheaton Academy won the No. 2 singles competition at the Suburban Christian Conference meet. Geneva's Carly Ausman and Claire Chlasta played singles most of the year. They finished third at the UEC River meet by beating St. Charles North's Abbey Roggemann and Kate Lesswing, 6-4, 6-2.
Cary-Grove sectional
Teams: Belvidere, Belvidere North, Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake Central, Prairie Ridge, Crystal Lake South, Marengo, Marian Central, McHenry, Woodstock, Woodstock North
Top singles seeds: 1. Nelle Youel (CLC); 2. Marisa Thome (CLS); 3. Jenna Wallace (CLC); 4. Emma Romme (McH); 5. Amanda Dorsey (C-G); 6. Almudena Garcia (WN).
Top doubles seeds: 1. Carolyn Huerth/Allison Murphy (PR); 2. Abbey Kolarczyk/Rachel Siemon (CLS); 3. Tara Ortner/Shana Sigmund (CLC); 4. Kelsey Laktash/Julia Thome (CLS); 5. Beth Hughes/Arley Bayer (C-G); 6. Jillian Wallace/Eveylyn Youel (CLC).
Outlook: Fox Valley Conference champion Crystal Lake Central seeks its fifth sectional title and first since 1995. The Tigers are led by No. 1 singles seed Nelle Youel (25-3), who finished second at the FVC meet last Saturday. Crystal Lake South sophomore Marisa Thome (22-3) finished third at the FVC meet and seeks a return trip to state. Defending state doubles champions Carolyn Huerth and Allison Murphy of Prairie Ridge won the FVC meet last week over CL South's Abbey Kolarczyk and Rachel Siemon (22-2). Heurth and Murphy enter sectional play undefeated (26-0). Kolarczyk and Siemon each qualified for the state meet last season with different doubles partners. CL South's Kelsey Laktash (24-4) and Julia Thome (24-3) played No. 2 and No. 3 singles, respectively, but coach Don Nead has combined them into a doubles team for the postseason. Cary-Grove's Amanda Dorsey (20-10) and the doubles team of
Beth Hughes and Arley Bayer (21-8) represent the best prospects of a state bid for the Trojans.