Tri-Cities girls tennis season preview
By Jeff Smith
Daily Herald Correspondent
Aurora Central Catholic
Coach: Mike Cowen (eighth year)
Last year: 9-7 dual meet record, third place in Metro Suburban Conference West, fifth place at sectional
Top returnees: Cori Dahl, sr.; Giselle Salazar, soph.
Key newcomers: to be determined
Outlook: Aurora Central Catholic is facing a season of uncertainty after graduating six senior starters from last year's team, three of whom are now playing tennis collegiately. The Chargers will rely heavily on Dahl and Salazar, who earned honorable mention all-area honors playing at first doubles in 2014. This season Dahl will move to first singles and Salazar will play at second singles. "Both worked hard in the off-season and are much improved," Cowen said. "We're looking for both to have really solid years." Aurora Central's chances of overtaking perennial conference champion Glenbard South will rest on Dahl and Salazar shining in new roles and a young core quickly adjusting to varsity action across the rest of the lineup. "After Cori and Giselle, we are very inexperienced," Cowen said. "I just want everyone after those two to improve steadily throughout the season."
Batavia
Coach: Brad Nelson (18th year)
Last year: 12-3 dual meet record, 5-1 in Upstate Eight River, second place in conference
Top returnees: Julianne Robinson, jr.; Maddie Rea, jr.; Kate McClure, sr.; Jenna Walsh, sr.
Key newcomers: Megan Granberg, soph.; Jess Hertel, sr.; Christina Couperus, jr.; Alex Davis, jr.; Anna Clarey, jr.
Outlook: Nelson has built something of a Tri-Cities girls tennis dynasty at Batavia, leading the Bulldogs to a conference championship three-peat from 2010 to 2012 and back-to-back second-place finishes in 2013 and 2014. This year's Bulldogs will be young after graduating 11 out of 14 varsity players from last year's team; the squad will feature four new doubles teams and two new singles players. But Nelson thinks Batavia can challenge St. Charles North, St. Charles East and Geneva for league honors if a few things fall the Bulldogs' way. Batavia's hopes start with Robinson. The junior transitions to first singles after going 26-8 at first doubles in 2014 with Sydnee Unterberg. Rea makes a similar switch, manning second singles after racking up a 26-10 record at third doubles last fall. McClure is the only Bulldog returning to the same position as last year; she is back at third singles after compiling a 22-7 mark and a third-place conference finish in 2014. Batavia will rely on seven newcomers to carry its doubles teams. Walsh will team up with newcomer Couperus at first doubles. Hertel and Davis are at second doubles, Clarey and Granberg are paired at third doubles, and two other newcomers are competing to join Parvathi Swaminathan at fourth doubles. "Our singles lineup will be solid," Nelson said, "and we have some good athleticism in doubles but will need to find the right combinations. I believe we will be in the mix for conference along with the other Tri-Cities schools." After failing to advance anyone to the state meet for just the third time in 17 years, Batavia has high postseason hopes this fall. "Robinson and Rea will have a shot in singles, and if our doubles teams continue to progress they will be in the mix as well," Nelson said.
Geneva
Coach: Zach Evans (first year)
Last year: Upstate Eight River championship, Kirby Einck top 16 at state meet, Gracie Krueger state qualifier
Top returnee: Krueger, jr.
Key newcomers: Grace Hahn, fr.; Taylor Hayes, fr.
Outlook: After claiming the Upstate Eight River Division title last fall, the Vikings will have to defend their crown without the services of Einck, the four-time state qualifier and perennial conference champion at first singles, as well as Maureen Weiler, who coached Geneva since 2000. Weiler retired last year, leaving the program in the hands of Evans, the Viking boys tennis coach. Evans will build the Vikes' 2015 lineup around Krueger, a returning state qualifier who moves up to No. 1 singles to fill Einck's considerable shoes. "I have high expectations for Gracie to make it back to state and improve on her performance from last year," Evans said. Liz Prendergast and Ashley King will man the second and third singles spots. Maddie Corda and Maddie Frafcisin head up a strong doubles quartet at first doubles. "I expect the Maddies to perform well at one doubles and make a push for state as well," Evans said. Hahn and Hayes provide an injection of talent and youth at second doubles. "Both are solid players and make a great doubles pair," Evans said. "I have high expectations of them in the coming years." Jaden Ciesielski and Kayleigh Barnaba will play at third doubles, and Emily Drake and Lauren Burgess round out the lineup at fourth doubles.
Rosary
Coach: John Tsang (13th year)
Last year: 14-9-1, first place in Sycamore Doubles Invitational, second place in Rosary Invitational, fourth place in sectional, two state meet qualifiers.
Top returnees: Grace Goheen, sr.; Bella Duarte, sr.; Jazzmine Garcia, sr.; Katie Dybas, sr.; Sloan Abalos, sr.; Rebecca Bens, sr.; Natalie Bens, sr.; Angela Dassis, jr.
Key newcomers: Maria Goheen, fr.; Lizzie Graft, jr.
Outlook: After a solid 2014 season, the Royals have high hopes for an even better 2015 campaign behind a veteran lineup spiced up by a talented freshman newcomer at first singles. Maria Goheen brings experience from the USTA tournament scene to her role atop Rosary's otherwise senior-laden lineup. "Be on the lookout for Maria, who is expected to be a standout player," Tsang said. The Royals' veteran depth starts with Maria's sister Grace and includes seven seniors who are all expected to garner spots in the starting lineup. Dassis, a junior, is also vying for a position in the doubles lineup, and Graft, another junior, is one of the team's most flexible players; Tsang said she may contribute at both singles and doubles. "Our new talent with Maria, complemented by good depth, will maximize our opportunities and enhance our competitiveness," Tsang said, "especially going into the championship part of the season. I'm expecting it to be an exciting conference season in a new conference (GCAC) with very competitive play, and we will make a run at sectionals and expect to have state qualifiers."
St. Charles East
Coach: Matthew Bulman (second year)
Last year: 10-6 dual meet record, 6-2 in Upstate Eight River, third place in conference tournament.
Top returnees: Emily Hautzinger, sr.; Emily Sullivan, sr.; Paige Ackerman, sr.; Olivia Gapuz, jr.; Sonia Ost, sr.; Jenna Patzner, sr.
Key newcomers: Katie McCarthy, fr.; Michelle Navid, jr.; Maggie Petrov, jr.; Brooke Patzner, jr.; Michelle Gershun, jr.
Outlook: After a rebuilding year in 2014 that included no state meet qualifiers, the Saints have high hopes for the Upstate Eight River and the postseason. "We return five out of six sectional lineup players this year," Bulman said. "So this will be our chance to really do some damage. We are deep at the bottom of the lineup, so I like our chances in the area." Leading East's resurgence is Hautzinger, whom Bulman said made vast improvement in her game in the offseason. "She has become a hard-hitting force to be reckoned with," Bulman said. Sullivan and Ackerman will form a doubles team for the fourth straight year and should be much improved according to Bulman with Sullivan healthy again after missing most of last season due to injuries. Jenna Patzner and Ost will take on a more prominent role after winning the conference title at third doubles last season, and Gapuz and newcomer McCarthy bolster the rest of the Saints' singles lineup. East's hopes of winning the UEC River crown could come down to third and fourth doubles, where Navid, Petrov, Gershun and Brooke Patzner are competing for spots after playing for the JV last fall. "In my opinion, St. Charles North is the team to beat," Bulman said. "They return the most talent. They are beatable, but we'll have to play our best."
St. Charles North
Coach: Sean Masoncup (first year)
Last year: 7-7 dual meet record, fourth place in Upstate Eight River
Top returnees: Emma Spellman, Morgan Rerko, Brittney Rohrsen, Breanne Warner, Julia Nickelson
Key newcomer: Shelby Thomas
Outlook: The North Stars return five of their top starters from last year's squad, making North the favorite to win the Upstate Eight River Division in the mind of at least one coach, Matthew Bulman of St. Charles East. It's easy to see why Bulman holds this opinion. Spellman, Rerko and Rohrsen infuse the lineup with state meet experience, and Warner and Nickelson were reliable starters last season as well. Throw in a talented freshman in Thomas who can shine at both singles and doubles, and competition among this talented core of players is so fierce that the North Stars' lineup wasn't set as of press time. North also adds another key component in Masoncup. The North Stars boys tennis coach brings a standout resume to the girls program, including the 2014 Illinois tennis coach of the year award. Masoncup thinks Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles East are the teams to beat in the conference, but "we are hoping to make them work this season, and we will see where we are at the end of the season," Masoncup said. He likes the team's work ethic and commitment so far. "We are trying to get better each and every day. As long as we continue to work hard, we will be successful," Masoncup said. "We have set goals, and if we hit our points for each goal I think these young ladies can have a great season."
West Aurora
Coach: Erin Mikulecky (second year)
Last year: 6-13-1 dual meet record, fifth place in Upstate Eight River
Top returnees: Liz Stefancic, soph.; Carley Frauenhoff
Key newcomers: to be determined
Outlook: The Blackhawks are optimistic that they'll show significant improvement this season after a fifth-place finish in the conference last fall. West Aurora's source of optimism is a solid returning core led by Stefancic, who returns to the No. 1 singles spot after a spectacular freshman season, when she racked up a 23-7 record. West Aurora is strong at the top of the lineup, with Frauenhoff back at No. 2 singles after going 18-5 as a junior. "She's a four-year varsity player with great promise," Mikulecky said. "She has lots of heart and drive." The key to the Blackhawks' season will be the rest of the team's lineup. Mikulecky said competition was so tight at third singles and the doubles teams during preseason practices that she couldn't name a lineup at press time. "We have a lot of returners this year that have great experience playing varsity tennis," she said. "This should be an exciting year for West High tennis."