North Stars glad to have depth

Depth is a commodity that every girls tennis team values.

It can make the difference in close conference matches, and help a coach overcome injuries. It's also something that appears to be in relatively short supply in the Tri-Cities area this season.

One team that should not have to worry too much about their strength throughout the lineup is St. Charles North.

A year ago, the North Stars opened some eyes by finishing in the top 20 at state, thanks in part to a strong performance by Annemijn Koenen.

"She is a very skilled, aggressive player," St. Charles North coach Tim Matacio said.

Koenen, who won five matches at state, is battling three-time state qualifier Megan Gow for the No. 1 singles spot. No matter how that shakes out, the North Stars will be guaranteed a formidable one-two punch at the top of their singles lineup. Sophomore Carly Dutkiewicz is slated for third singles.

A similar competition has emerged on the doubles side, as Andrea Gentile and Lauren Drawbridge, who won two matches at state last year, are facing a strong challenge from Sarah Amalraj and freshman Liselot Koenen.

"Like her sister, Liselot is a really strong player," Matacio said. "She's very steady and has a big forehand when she needs it. She and Sarah are a very competitive and determined team."

Senior Katie Miller and sophomores Jenna Bell and Alecia Natale are among the players who will fill out the rest of the North Stars' lineup.

Neuqua Valley should again prove to be the biggest obstacle between the North Stars and an Upstate Eight title. But that's just one of the goals driving a team that has increased the difficulty of its schedule, as its success has raised expectations.

"Our schedule is up there with the best in the state, and that will give us a chance to see how far we still have to go to play at that level," Matacio said. "Realistically, if our big players perform the way they can there's no question we can be a top 10 team in the state."

Last season, Geneva blistered opponents from top to bottom, as the Vikings ran the table in the Western Sun Conference. The loss of players to graduation could make that task much more difficult this year.

Kayla Fujimoto is back after dominating throughout the regular season and beyond as a freshman, and she emerged as the area's top singles player.

"Kayla has worked really hard on her game," Geneva coach Maureen Weiler said. "She looks even stronger than she did last year. Her experience last season inspired her to really kick it up a notch."

The rest of the singles lineup consists of Jamie Potts at No. 2 and junior Maddie Suchor at No. 3. They will each have to adjust to playing at a tougher level, but Weiler believes they are capable of doing that.

Blair Selakovich will start at No. 1 doubles for the fourth straight year. She'll partner with Mary Pelling, who played No. 2 singles last season.

Two more familiar faces will be seen playing second doubles, as Liz Bertrand teams with Krista Panko. Bertrand and former partner Meredith Bettcher just missed making it to state last season.

"Getting downstate is a big goal for Liz, since this is her senior year," Weiler said.

The Geneva coach is confident her team will again rack up wins at the top of the lineup, but that won't always be enough.

"My top players need to win their matches, and then I hope some of our other players can step up," Weiler said. "That's what will give us a chance to be really successful."

Geneva's question marks in the bottom half of the lineup are one of the factors that should create more parody throughout the WSC, and open the door for other teams to taste some success.

Kaneland is one team that could be poised to take advantage of those opportunities. The Knights boast seven returning seniors, and have already posted a second-place finish at the Plainfield North Invite.

"We've looked very good so far, and I'm pleased with the players' effort, they're working hard," Kaneland coach Cindy Miller said. "It's going to be a very interesting season."

Holly Hartmann will be at first singles for the second straight year, followed by April Runde at No. 2.

"They're going to see a lot of the same opponents they saw last year," Miller said. "They're prepared to take on the challenge."

A new team will lead the Knights' doubles play, as Katie Hatch pairs with Emma Anderson.

The Knights, who have made a habit of leaving it all on the court, win or lose, could enjoy some well-earned success this season.

"I've got great kids on this team, and that's what makes it a lot more fun," Miller said.

Batavia will also be navigating through the WSC schedule, but for the first time in four years, it will have to do it without Mollie Peskind at the helm.

The Bulldogs were 62-16 with Peskind at No. 1 singles, and her graduation, along with that of Abby Belford and Katie Sawyer, has left a young squad in its wake.

"We know we're in for some growing pains," Batavia coach Brad Nelson said. "We have a tough schedule right out of the gate, and a lot of our girls are playing varsity for the first time."

Alexis Schoefield will step into the top singles spot, followed by Kim Sawyer at No. 2. Both were impressive last season, and played key roles in the Bulldogs' success.

There's not as much experience on the doubles side. Abby Link and Jessica Riemenschneider will team up at No. 1, while juniors Anne Keane and Mallory Potter move up from the top JV spot to play No. 2.

Elena Mudrak and Mallory Ramp, a pair of sophomores, are already off to a 3-0 start at No. 3 doubles.

"We're looking for steady improvement throughout the season," Nelson said. "The main thing is that we're getting experience and having the confidence to win close matches."

If they can do that, Nelson believes that by the end of the season his team could compete with anyone in the WSC.

"This is the most parody we've had in this conference, and the Suburban Prairie before it, in six or seven years," Nelson said. "There are a number of teams that could come up and win matches at the two, three and four spots."

St. Charles East will also be looking for steady improvement.

Stefanie Youngberg will anchor the Saints' lineup at No. 1 singles for the third year.

"Having a strong player like Stefanie at the top makes things a little more comfortable, and allows you to put other players in situations where they can have some success," St. Charles East coach Sena Drawer said.

But after Youngberg, the rest of the singles lineup is somewhat in flux. Seniors Laura Wilkerson and Chrissy Coles are in the mix for the second spot, while Lexi Baltes will play No. 3.

"Lexi is a tremendous athlete, and I've been very impressed with her court sense," Drawer said.

Amanda Gomez, a state qualifier last season, will be stepping into a leadership role as she teams with freshman Erin Bowman at No. 1 doubles. Anne Mason and Megan Joyce will be playing No. 2, while Alison Ledbetter, who played fourth doubles last year, and Rachel Ruminski will be at No. 3. Nicole Eads and Khris Billarin are also in the mix.

Ninety-four players came out for tennis at St. Charles East this season. Those kinds of numbers are one sign of a healthy program, and it has kept Drawer and her capable coaching staff very busy.

The Saints were 9-3 overall last season, finished third in the Upstate Eight, and 22nd at state.

"I believe we can do as well as we did last year," Drawer said. "The key will be how quickly our doubles teams can come together."

Rosary believes it can do even better than it did last year, and that belief is well-founded.

Emily Reuland is back after winning four matches at state last season. Reuland led the Royals to a second place finish in the Suburban Catholic Conference.

"I have players now who have been around for a year or two," Rosary coach John Tsang said. "They need to use that experience, and really take advantage of it."

Team captain Keyly Knechtel will play second singles. The SCC employs a two singles-three doubles format, and Tsang will use his team's weekend quads and invites to shake things up and move players around a bit.

Megan Conner and Jen Winkle will step up into the top doubles role after playing No. 2 last season. Seniors Amanda Roache and Nikki Erdman, along with juniors Viatra Baker and Quinn Tentinger, also figure to be part of the doubles lineup. Freshman Angelena Goheen will provide the Royals with some valuable versatility.

"Last year the system came together, and we have a really good program," Tsang said. "We have girls who can qualify and win at state, as well as those who are just learning the game."

West Aurora has had a quality program for some time, and this year should be no different, though graduations may be starting to take their toll.

The defending DuPage Valley Conference champs won their 14th straight sectional, and finished eighth in the state.

Shannon Brooks is back, and she should be poised to make her fourth run at state. Brooks' cousins, Lauren Henry and Brooke Henry, both state qualifiers last season, return to give West Aurora a formidable nucleus.

Alison Krantz had some success on the court last season, and she should bring some valuable experience to this year's team.

The Blackhawks will have to fill the holes left by the loss of Katrina Moy and Heather Pierce in order to claim another title in the tough DVC.

Just a couple of miles away, Aurora Central will be trying to build on the improvement it showed last season.

The Chargers will be led by seniors Lily Bautista and Liz Schweitzer and junior Vanessa Corral, but the team should still be a year or two away from making a major dent in the highly competitive SCC.