Scouting Tri-Cities area boys tennis
Aurora Central Catholic
Coach: Mike Cowens
Last year: 10-10 record.
Top returnees: Liam Doyle, soph.; Eddie Cainge, soph.; Tony Perez, sr.; Jared Fredrich, sr.
Outlook: ACC graduated several starters from last year's squad, but Cowens believes enough talent is back to equal the 2014 team's success. One of the keys is Doyle, a starter at first doubles last spring, who "worked extremely hard in the off-season and is ready to be a solid No. 1 singles player," Cowens said. Cainge and Perez have the inside track on the first doubles spots after making strides in their skills in the offseason, and Fredrich is a candidate to start at either singles or doubles. The rest of the lineup is yet to be determined heading into the Hampshire Quad and a visit to Walther Christian March 31, but Cowens said, "This group has worked harder in the off-season than any boys team I've had, so let's see how that plays out. We're in a new conference (the Metro Suburban), but Riverside-Brookfield, Glenbard South and Wheaton Academy are probably going to be decent competition."
Batavia
Coach: Brad Nelson
Last year: 18-4-1, Upstate Eight River Division champions, tournament titles at Downers Grove North, Maine South, Glenbard South, Huntley and Warren. Ryan Sterling and Adam Maris qualified for state meet in doubles.
Top returnees: Adam Maris, sr.; Andrew Nelson, jr.; James Carr, sr.; Emerson Hinzy, jr.; Josh Boyle, sr.; Gunnar Malm, sr.; Nick Robinson, jr.
Key newcomers: Will McClure, fr.; Matt Kim, soph.; Tommy Maren, soph.; Kevin Fiddelke, sr.
Outlook: The bad news is Batavia lost three starters to graduation from last year's conference champion squad to graduation. The good news is the Bulldogs return five players boasting at least two years of varsity experience who have each contributed to Batavia's three consecutive Upstate Eight River crowns. Never one to shy away from trying new combinations to form the best possible lineup, Nelson will start an entirely new singles and doubles order from 2014. Maris, who went 34-6 at first doubles last season, will move to first singles. Boyle, who was 30-5 at second doubles, will try second singles. McClure cracks the lineup at third singles. Carr (17-8 at third singles a year ago) transitions to first doubles to pair up with Hinzy, who went 28-4 at No. 3 doubles last spring. Nelson (28-4 at third doubles in 2014) and Robinson (13-7 at No. 4 doubles) form a new tandem at second doubles, with newcomers Maren and Kim at third doubles and Malm back at fourth doubles with Fiddelke, the goalie for the varsity boys soccer team. "We will be solid at the top in both singles and doubles and will count on four new varsity players to step up at number three singles and third and fourth doubles," the third-year boys coach said. "We are athletic, poised and have put in lots of court time in the off-season in hopes of making a run at a fourth consecutive conference title and sending some players to state."
Geneva
Coach: Zach Evans
Last year: 10-6, fourth place in Upstate Eight River Division, advanced three players to 2014 state meet.
Top returnees: Canan Ciesielski, jr., first singles; Brad Burgess, sr., and Nick Simone, sr., first doubles; Christian Fournier, jr., second doubles; Mark Lamb, sr., fourth doubles.
Key newcomers: Michael Guffey, jr., second singles; Kyle Bertaux, sr., third singles; Mitch Adams, jr., second doubles; Adam Said, soph., and Seth Dickinson, jr., third doubles; Will Youman, jr., fourth doubles.
Outlook: Evans, a first-year coach, is bringing high expectations to the Vikings' program. Evans believes Geneva has the talent to finish near the top of the rugged Upstate Eight River and send a few players to state. "They are adjusting to the coaching change and making improvements in their game quickly," Evans said. "I believe we will be able to give every team in the conference a run for their money." Evans' source of confidence stems largely from Geneva's doubles lineup. Burgess and Simone give the Vikings experience and leadership as a senior duo at first doubles after playing second doubles last spring. Fournier is transitioning to doubles from singles last season, and newcomers Said and Dickinson are a talented tandem at the net at third doubles, as are Youman and Lamb at fourth doubles. Ciesielski will anchor the singles lineup, moving up from third to first singles after losing just one match last season. Guffey and Bertaux are varsity newcomers who will be tested early.
Marmion
Coach: John Tsang
Last year: 12-4, first place at Lockport Tournament, 7-0 Suburban Christian Conference, SCC champion for sixth straight season, second place at sectionals, John King qualified for state meet.
Top returnees: King, jr., first singles; Dave Demoll, sr.; Luke Hoss, jr.; Dominic Barone, sr.; Sharbel Ramonos, sr.; Jon Higgs, sr.; Ben Touhy, sr.
Key newcomers: Bennet Piotrowski, fr.; Daniel Stueland, fr.
Outlook: After an historic six-peat in the SCC, Marmion will play as an independent for this season until joining the Chicago Catholic League next year. For the third straight year, the Cadets will be led by King, the 2014 SCC player of the year and two-time state qualifier, at first singles. "John has established himself as one of the best players in our area," Tsang said, "and will continue to be the face of Marmion tennis and represent the school very well." The rest of Marmion's lineup will be senior dominated. Barone, Ramonos, Higgs, Demoll and Touhy are competing for spots at singles and doubles along with Hoss, a junior, and freshmen Piotrowski and Stueland. The lineup is far from set for Marmion's first dual meet April 7 at Oswego East, but Tsang believes the Cadets have the talent to make a push for the sectional crown again this spring.
St. Charles East
Coach: Rob Livermore
Last year: 15-4, second place in Upstate Eight River Division, second place in sectionals, 19th at state meet.
Top returnees: Connor Anderson, sr.; Alex Winters, jr.
Key newcomer: Kevin Schreiner, fr.
Outlook: Livermore's Saints have huge shoes to fill with the graduation of Jasper Koenen. The school's all-time leader in match wins earned the Upstate Eight River and sectional singles crowns and reached the consolation bracket semifinals last spring before heading to Michigan State University on a full-ride scholarship. Livermore, the fifth-year East coach, is setting the bar high for his team this spring behind Anderson, who as of last week was a candidate for either first singles or first doubles due to his versatility. He'll get plenty of help from Schreiner, a freshman who "is going to impress a lot of people this year," Livermore predicted, and Winters, a state qualifier in doubles last season. Livermore believes the Saints have enough talent to compete again for the conference and sectional title: "Our new number one goal is to improve on last year's accomplishments."
St. Charles North
Coach: Sean Masoncup
Last year: 20-1, third place in Upstate Eight River Division, sectional champion, first place at West Aurora Invite, Bloomington Invite and St. Charles North Quad.
Top returnees: Aaron Amburgey, sr., first singles; Matt Kramer, jr., second singles; Matt Ernst, jr.
Key newcomers: Ajay Gustafson, fr.
Outlook: The North Stars have many questions to answer after graduating most of their starters from one of the top teams in school history. North finished 2014 with a 20-1 dual-meet record and won the sectional title as well as first place at three regular-season tournaments before cracking the top 25 at the state meet for the first time. The team's hopes will rest in part on Amburgey, a state doubles qualifier last year who will switch to first singles this spring. "He had a phenomenal off-season and should be one of the top singles players in the area," said Masoncup, North's sixth-year coach. Ernst might move from first singles to first doubles, while Kramer, the Upstate Eight River champion at second singles, will return to that position this season. The rest of the lineup is yet to be determined, with Gustafson, a club tournament player, vying for a spot as well as returning lettermen Tom Ninan, Luke Dunteman and Trevor Kurtzhals. "We graduated a lot of seniors, so we are trying to figure out where all the pieces will fit best for our team," said Masoncup, who labeled Batavia as the team to beat again in the conference. "We should be very competitive despite all the losses to graduation."
West Aurora
Coach: Bill Stanley
Last year: 6-12, seventh place in DuPage Valley Conference.
Top returnees: William Isiminger, soph.; Shawn McCarney, sr.; Ian Sewell, sr.; Irving Espinoza, sr.
Key newcomers: Evan Castillo, jr.; Caden LaFond, frosh.; Meliton Chaidez, jr.; Kenny Sodetz, jr.; Lorenz Von Arx.
Outlook: In his 16th year at the helm, Stanley leads West Aurora back to the Upstate Eight after a long stint in the DVC. The Blackhawks rest their conference and postseason hopes primarily on the shoulders of Isiminger, the team's lone returning sectional qualifier. The sophomore will anchor the lineup at first singles. Castillo, LaFond and McCarney are battling to start at second and third singles, while the doubles lineup is wide open. With three seniors leading the way, Stanley is optimistic that West will be competitive in the UEC River. "The players on the squad are great kids who work hard and are improving with each practice," he said. "Being in the Upstate Eight this year should make for a fun season and a fresh start for West High tennis. I hope one or two teams play well enough to get seeded in the sectional in hopes that West can be represented at the state tournament this year."