Reuland emerging as one of state's best

It's been a long time coming, and well worth the wait.

Batavia unveiled its new tennis courts Tuesday afternoon, and got rave reviews. The new facility, which sits just beyond the left field wall of the baseball field, replaces the old one, which for years saw Batavia fight a losing battle against the cracks in the surface.

"We lost so many points because of those cracks," Batavia junior Mallory Ramp said. "We've all been coming out in gym class to look at the new courts."

As a result of the construction, the Bulldogs spent the first half of their season practicing on the courts at Wheeler Park in Geneva.

"The girls have been troupers, they never complained about having to go out to Wheeler Park and practicing on just four courts with leaves all over the place," Batavia coach Brad Nelson said. "Hopefully, these new courts will give us some opportunities to host some bigger events."

Whatever difficulties the Bulldogs may have had with their practice location, and finding a convenient place to play have not made their way into matches. As of Wednesday, Batavia was 13-4 overall, and a number players are having outstanding seasons.

"The girls have done the things they needed to do to get better," Nelson said. "The depth has shown through in the nine shutouts that we've had so far."

Alexa Schofield has posted a 16-1 record thus far this season playing No. 2 singles, after playing doubles last season, and making it to state. While it's not unusual to see a play switch from singles to doubles, it isn't often that one does the opposite.

"Alexa is very levelheaded, and she has given us the leadership we need from a senior and a captain," Nelson said. The one thing she's been able to do incredibly well, especially for someone who first picked up a racket just four years ago, is control tempo. Each year she's gotten better at adjusting her game."

With Kim Sawyer at No. 1 and Ramp at three, the Bulldogs have consistently racked up wins in their singles matches.

On the doubles side, Abby Link and Elena Mudrak have posted a 14-3 record at No. 2 doubles using a tenacious approach to the game.

"They really go after it," Nelson said. "Elena is very aggressive, and Abby has really improved her consistency. They both hit a great first serve and that makes a big difference."

But as well as Batavia has played, the 4-3 loss to Geneva in the inaugural match on their new courts earlier this week means that the Bulldogs will again be chasing their rivals for the Western Sun Conference title.

Just don't ask coach Maureen Weiler whether her team is now in the driver's seat.

"If we're in the driver's seat, then it's a very small car," Weiler said. "We're only ahead of them by one point, so it still comes down to that last tournament day, and a lot of different things can happen. Everyone needs to come in and play their hearts out. And I know that's what Batavia is going to do, so we have to be ready."

The Vikings have relied on a combination of strength at the top of both the singles and doubles lineups, and depth throughout to build a 16-2 record.

"I'm really pleased with how well my team has come around," Weiler said. "My doubles teams have really come together, and they're playing great."

Kayla Fujimoto at No. 1 singles, and freshman Carly Ausman at No. 2 have lost just one match each.

"I'm enjoying this season a lot, and I'm feeling good physically," Fujimoto said. "I always look forward to the competition at state, but I really enjoy the high school season, and being with the team, and we've done well."

Liz Horenzy, a junior, has stepped into the third singles spot and done a solid job for Geneva.

The Vikings' top doubles duo of seniors Mary Pelling and Krista Panko was expected to do very well, and they have not disappointed, posting a 17-1 record thus far.

"With the doubles teams, communication is the key factor," Panko said.

Alexa Rogers and Jamie Potts, a couple of juniors with a good deal of experience, have been solid at No. 2 doubles, as have seniors Maddie Suchor and Sarah Zacchea at third, and Cassie Johnson and Claire Chlasta at fourth.

"Coaching Kayla is pretty easy, I don't have to do much, she's got it all pretty well figured out," Weiler said. "The biggest challenge is always getting the doubles players to play as a team, work together, and have confidence in each other."

Fujimoto's only loss of the season came in a three-set thriller against Rosary's Emily Reuland.

Though Reuland had an immediate impact on the Royals lineup two years ago as a freshman, she has since grown a great deal as a player, and is now among the state's best.

"Beating Kayla was a huge milestone for Emily, and a real confidence builder," Rosary coach John Tsang said. "A year ago, Kayla beat her convincingly, but Emily has worked very hard at her game, and at developing some new weapons."

But Reuland's success has been just one of the highlights for the Royals, who two weekends ago won their own invitational for the first time in twenty years. That tournament saw the Royals hold their own against teams like Waubonsie Valley, Oswego, and Marian Central.

"We won the matches that we needed, and controlled our own destiny the entire day," Tsang said. "Our success in that tournament did something else too, it really helped define my first doubles team."

That doubles team of Angelina Goheen and Katie King has been a constant for the Royals. Viatra Baker and Kerry Zepeda at No. 2, and Leigh Ann Thomas and Quin Tentinger at No. 3 have provided some stability in the doubles lineup.

"The team has really improved over the course of the season," Tsang said. "I feel very strongly about the overall development."

Elizabeth Vertin has been a big part of that overall improvement. The Yorkville transfer stepped right into the second singles position, giving the Royals a potent one-two punch.

"We're where we want to be," Tsang said. "It's a very spirited team that responds well to instruction and guidance."