Scouting DuPage County girls tennis
Top teams: Naperville North, Hinsdale Central, St. Francis, Wheaton Academy, Glenbard West, Wheaton North, Wheaton Warrenville South.
Top players: Benet: Daniella Nenadovich, so.; Downers Grove North: Julia Paterak, sr.; Downers Grove South: Gerda Jucys, so.; Jillian Urgello, so.; Glenbard North: Sage Hills, so.; Glenbard South: Michelle Kwon, sr.; Glenbard West: Sienna Lopez, jr.; Shannele Lopez, fr.; Sarah Burke, sr.; Sophia Fausey, sr.; Hinsdale Central: Olivia Oosterbaan, sr.; Carolyn Ahn, jr.; Kasia Treiber, so.; Sarah Badawi, jr.; Layo Adelakun, sr.; Katie Dollens, fr.; Caroline Kotarski, jr.; Hinsdale South: Aimee Puz, sr.; Chase Metcalf, fr.; Sydney Puz, sr.; Lake Park: Nina Pasquini; sr.; Nancy Cozzi, sr.; Analisa Cruz, so, Maeve Casey, sr.; Angela Pasquini, so.; Metea Valley: Taylor Goldman, jr.; Abbey Woods, sr.; Meera Baid, so.; Naperville Central: Elaine Liu, sr.; Nina Raab, sr.; Katie Liu, so.; Alex Dram, jr.; Annie Kong, jr.; Naperville North: Kavya Rachapalli, sr.; Chandani Bansal, sr.; Tiffany Chang, so.; Irene Chang, so.; Neuqua Valley: Hanna Beck, sr.; Hannah Neuman, jr.; Jessica Chivini, so.; Alex Savu, so.; Emiley Piao, fr.; St. Francis: Gina Vale, sr.; Marnie Kopec, jr.; Jane Price, jr.; Julie Turek, fr.; Caroline Thoms, sr.; Emma Armbrust, sr.; Timothy Christian: Abygale Ahn, sr.; Cassandra Lee, so.; Waubonsie Valley: Hannah Owens, sr.; Angelica Alverez, jr.; Uma Kothuri, jr.; Wheaton Academy: Olivia Hamm, jr.; Ellie Howland, jr.; Carly Chan, so.; Wheaton North: Madeline Fidel, sr.; Sophia Block, jr.; Alexandra Wachs, so.; Wheaton Warrenville South: Samantha Choi, sr.; Emily Orlove, jr.; Liza Dreyer, sr.; Sophia Stamatopoulos, sr.; Emma Berres, fr.; Willowbrook: Grace Wacholz, sr., Maddie Brown, jr.; Priscilla Delvalle, jr.; Penelope, Delvalle, fr.; Andrea Zulawaski, sr.; York: Melissa Cartis, jr.; Gianna Nikoleit, so.
Outlook: There will be a typical battle in the DuPage Valley Conference with returning champion Naperville North having to fight off its traditional rivals if it wants to repeat. In the DuKane Conference, Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North are powerful but watch out for an emerging Lake Park when the postseason begins. The Huskies will be the team to beat again in Naperville with just about everyone returning from last year's champs. Rachapalli and Tiffany Chang qualified for state as a doubles team, but they're both strong singles players and could be separated come sectionals.
Coach Heather Henricksen believes that Chang could qualify as a singles player. "We have grit and talent at all positions and could be well-represented at state," Henricksen said. "We have a lot of hungry girls with realistic goals. We're deep and hope to defend our DVC title and we could qualify two doubles teams for state."
While the Redhawks, who finished second last year, have a lot of good people returning, they have to overcome a few significant personnel losses in order to challenge their cross-town rivals. Elaine Liu is a great anchor at first doubles, but there are still decisions to be made to fill out the doubles lineup. Raab is capable of qualifying for state at first singles. "We have shown quite a bit of improvement across the board," said first-year coach Alyssa Girgis. "The girls are motivated to win conference."
Neuqua Valley, as always, has a strong group of returnees as well as some newcomers who could be difference-makers. Beck and Neuman, state doubles qualifiers, are back together for one more year and look forward to a big postseason. "They're both great athletes," coach Trudy Bennorth said. "And they mesh well because Beck is a solid calming player while Neuman is an intense sparkplug." Savu, a nationally ranked USTA player, and freshman Piao could take their places behind Chivini to form a powerful singles roster. There is experienced depth around to find the right combinations to fill out the doubles pairings. "We have a nice, solid team," Bennorth said. "We just have to prove it in the postseason."
Metea Valley is led by Baid, who made it to state as a freshman singles player, and Goldman and Woods, a pair of state-level veterans, who could be paired at doubles. Behind those three, coach Kole Clousing has a lot of veteran players who will help propel the Mustangs into the championship picture.
Waubonsie Valley, led by former state qualifier Owens and a possible first-doubles team of Alverez and Kothuri, has a veteran group that is also looking to move up and challenge the leaders. Coach Phil Galow is confident that Waubonsie Valley's strong play late last season will carry over.
Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North take their rivalry to the newly-formed DuKane Conference, where they'll be vying for the title. The Tigers' Choi, who finished fifth at state, is back for one last go-round. She is a three-year state qualifier and is looking forward to continuing at the U.S. Naval Academy. She's backed by a strong supporting cast led by talented veterans Orlove and Dreyer, who could feature as a doubles team. "We have good depth and promising newcomers joining the returners," coach Patti Clousing said. "And we should finish near the top of the league."
And speaking of perennial standouts, Wheaton North first singles Fidel has qualified every year, and according to Wheaton North coach Kevin Laird she is better as a senior after a successful off-season of USTA tournaments. "She's added match maturity to her arsenal," Laird said. "She just finds many ways to win." The Falcons return their entire singles lineup and they have good depth at doubles. Laird is also the beneficiary of the graduates of a strong JV team.
Lake Park, which finished seventh in the old DVC only to produce five state qualifiers, returns with a boatload of talent with one more year of experience. The Lancers could be one of the great darkhorse teams in Illinois. Cruz, who stood out as a freshman, will occupy the first singles spot again, while Casey and Nina Pasquini have developed into a top-flight doubles team. "This year we'll be more competitive," coach Ben Hussey said. "It will be interesting to see how we stack up."
Though Benet lost some key people, the Redwings are looking at a typically strong Benet season. "We're pretty deep," coach Michael Hand said. "No real stars, just a bunch of girls who are really competitive. We have a shot at winning conference, and we would like to have a singles, Nenadovich, who is strong at both the baseline and at the net, qualify along with a doubles team. We have a lot of options for doubles."
In the West Suburban Silver, Hinsdale Central, which finished tied for third in the team standings at state, is once again at the head of the class. Almost everyone returns from the state team, including Oosterbaan, who finished top 16 at singles, as well as Treiber and Badawi, who were top four at doubles. But coach Shawna Zsinko will experiment with her many options to form the Red Devils' sectional lineup. "The depth we have is crazy," Zsinko said. "Our 15th player could be No. 1 on many other teams."
Glenbard West, which was sixth at state last year, is strong again, but the Hilltoppers should take their annual place behind Hinsdale Central in the conference. Singles Sienna Lopez and Burke, half of a strong finishing doubles team, are returning stars who form the heart of Kevin Graham's team that is looking to get back into the top 10. York, featuring the doubles team of Cartis and Nikoleit, and Downers Grove North with a star in Paterak, will also be battling for their places in the conference.
Glenbard East loses state singles champ Kolie Allen, but the Rams have enough remaining talent to battle for supremacy in the Upstate Eight.
Defending West Suburban Gold champ Downers Grove South, which won every position in the conference tournament, has a group of strong veterans who hope to produce some state qualifiers which the Mustangs did not do last year. Singles Jucys and Urgello had great freshman years, and coach Josh Forst expects big things from them this time around. "We hope to get Jucys and Urgello to state along with a doubles team," Forst said. "We feel that our top players can compete with anyone in the state."
Hinsdale South goes into the season minus a lot of the talent that finished fifth at state, but standouts such as the Puz sisters and freshman Metcalf could lead this young team back into conference contention. Willowbrook has a solid corps of starters that is hoping to move up from its third-place finish.
The DuPage County schools are looking to battle it out for the top spots in Class 1A with Wheaton Academy, St. Francis and Timothy Christian looking especially strong. Wheaton Academy finished 12th at state after winning the Metro Suburban Conference. Hamm, who finished top 32, and Chan both qualified for state at singles, and doubles whiz Howland and her graduated partner finished in the top eight. There is some reconstruction that has to be done to the doubles lineup (don't rule out one of the great singles players teaming with Howland), but coach Heather Green has confidence that her experienced team will have another terrific season.
The Warriors' stiffest competition should come from sectional titlist St. Francis. The Spartans are led by highly regarded singles Vale and Price as well as veterans Kopec and Turek. "We have a lot of state experience," coach Tommy Castronovo said. "We know how to win and our girls don't get rattled in high-pressure situations. We're hosting the sectional this year and we're hoping that will also give us an advantage. We'd like to qualify our whole team for state."
Timothy Christian is led by the great doubles team of Ahn and Lee, who finished third in state. Both are strong singles players as well. "A lot will depend on how our lower lineup develops," coach Keith Mills said.
Glenbard South was second in the MSC and should be a factor in the Upstate Eight this year even after graduating nine seniors. Fenton is in a building mode that will be guided by the progress of five good freshmen.
Key dates: Sept. 1: Downers Grove South Invite; Sept. 6: Neuqua Valley vs. Waubonsie Valley, Naperville Central at Naperville North; Sept. 8: Warrior Challenge, Waubonsie Valley; Red Devil Invite, Hinsdale Central; Sept. 11: Hinsdale Central at Glenbard West; Sept. 13: Wheaton Academy at St. Francis; Sept. 20: Wheaton Warrenville South at Wheaton North: Sept. 22: Falcon Quad at Wheaton North; Sept. 27: Timothy Christian at Wheaton Academy; Sept. 29: Naperville North Invite; Tigers Doubles Invite at Wheaton Warrenville South; Oct. 5-6: Conference tournaments; Oct 12-13: Sectionals; Oct. 18-20: IHSA State tournament.