Girls tennis: Scouting the Fox Valley
Bartlett HawksCoach: Colleen Brandner
Top returning players: Seniors Hannah Kolano (doubles), Bianca Dizon (doubles), juniors Marissa Gustafson (doubles), Jasmine Snipe (doubles)
Outlook: Kolan and Dizon have combined to form the No. 1 doubles team, while Gustafson and Snipe have moved up from No. 4 doubles last year to the second position this season. "Doubles will be our strength this year," said Brandner. Brandner, the team's new coach, is impressed with the turnout this season. "There are a lot of seniors on the team this year with room for a handful of juniors," she said. "This is a transition year for us. Many of our varsity players are seniors, leaving a bunch of juniors playing on the junior varsity. It has been a long time since Bartlett has had so many girls registered to play tennis.
Cary-Grove TrojansCoach: Laurie Bender
Top returning players: Seniors Tori Baranowski, Lauren Betz, Emily Dewey, Alex Sowa, Erin O'Malley, juniors Sanjana Rao, Camryn Demkowicz
Key newcomers: Juniors Katie Kalwitter, Maya Faber, Maisy Lyne, Emily Whitenack, freshman Bethany Marshall
Outlook: The Trojans look to be improved this fall with five starting players back. Marshall, a freshman, will help right away as she steps into the No. 1 singles position. "We will be a competitive team," said Bender. "Our team goal will be to play each match to the best of our ability and be good sports win or lose. We would love to win every match, win conference, win sectionals and qualify for the state tournament." This is Bender's third season as the girls' varsity coach. She coached Cary-Grove's frosh-soph girls' team for 22 years and the frosh-soph boys' team for 21 years (370 wins between the frosh-soph teams and 24 with the girls' varsity program). Bender said Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge and Jacobs will be teams to keep an eye on in the FVC.
Crystal Lake South GatorsCoach: Don Nead
2014 finish: 14-3, 9-3 FVC (Second Valley Division, 5th overall)
Top returning players: Seniors Kaci Crowley, Katie Fues, Ekta Patel, juniors Hannah Rakofsky, Rachel Anklam, Alicia Rasmussen, sophomore Julia Kopfman
Key newcomers: Seniors Cara Braasch, Jamie Flanagan, Madison Schweitzer, sophomore Claire Atkinson, freshman Skylar Olsen
Outlook: Longtime coach Nead returns 7 players from last year's successful squad. "We feel kind of fortunate to have 7 girls who played pretty much the whole season," he said. "That experience is going to help us out this year." Rakofsky is a year older at the No. 1 singles position. "We have some nice singles players and we are going to be competitive in doubles," said Nead. The doubles lineup is still a work in progress. "We're going to mix it up a little bit," he said. "We're determining who complements each other the best. We're still experimenting." Nead noted Jacobs and Prairie Ridge are frontrunners in the FVC heading into the season. "After Prairie Ridge and Jacobs, there are three or four teams who are pretty equal," he said. "I think we will be competitive with those three or four teams." South started the year with consecutive wins over Woodstock, Johnsburg, McHenry and Rolling Meadows.
Dundee-Crown ChargersCoach: Stephanie McClure
2014 finish: Seventh place Fox Valley Conference
Top returning players: Seniors Alyssa Anderson, Sam Angarola, Jordan Cardinale, Mckenna Leahy, Colleen Letheby, Michelle Lim, Angie Smiech, Amanda Walker, Elizabeth Escobar, juniors Kristin Aagaard, Jessica Butcher, Gabby Hernandez, Kendall Johnson, Lauren Peters, Genesis Rosiles, Jessica Ruiz, Alexis Sanchez, sophomores Hannah Gannon, Madie Pautz, Caitlyn Zdany
Key newcomers: Seniors Tobi Richardson, Ruby Leiva, junior Hedi Casiano, freshmen Erin Hajek, Sofia Barajas, Jasmine Chavez, Brenda Guerra, Dagne Leiva, Zoe Lufman, Anna Russell
Outlook: The Chargers are looking to improve on last year's seventh-place league finish. "We are really excited to build off last year's momentum," said McClure. "With key returners and a few newcomers, we are looking for success."
Elgin MaroonsCoach: Phet Rattana
2014 finish: 2-5 in conference duals
Top returning players: Seniors Dahlia Keonavongsa, Ankita Datta, Karina Ortiz, Karla Ramos, juniors Katie Baran, Katie Anderson
Key newcomers: Junior Annee Daravong, freshman Marta Krakowski
Outlook: This Rattana's third year with the program and first as head coach. Keonavongsa, a senior, and Krakowski, a freshman, are drawing high praise thus far. "Dahlia and Marta are going to lead the way for the program," said Rattana. "I look forward to having a great season with a lot of teaching along the way. Our numbers a Elgin High are terrific. This year we've had the greatest turnout in the last four years."
Elgin Academy HilltoppersCoach: Greg Repede
Top returning players: Seniors Emma May, Lauren Masnato, junior Stephani Pierson, sophomores Michelle Payton, Caitlin Sharma, Neha Shyamani, Sharene Gould-Dulabaum
Outlook: May teamed with senior Kayla Schwan last year and went 28-6 at No. 1 doubles and won a sectional doubles title, qualifying for state. She will start the season playing singles. "Our numbers are down this year, but we have a fantastic group of young women to work with," said Repede. "Our sophomores all were new to tennis a year ago, but have worked out of season and have improved tremendously. Our doubles teams should be solid. Being short on numbers, our emphasis will be on individual improvement rather than team wins."
Hampshire Whip-PursCoach: Bill Jepsen
Top returning player: Senior Hannah Hougland
Outlook: The Whip-Purs lost 10 seniors from last year's team, including 9 starters. A big bright spot is Hougland, who has qualified for the state tournament in her first three seasons. "We are in a rebuilding phase and have a few players who could develop into decent players," said Jepsen, who is in his fifth season at Hampshire. Jepsen said Jacobs and Prairie Ridge are top-tier contenders in the FVC.
Huntley Red RaidersCoach: Barry Wells
Top returning players: Seniors Emma Breen, Emma Jonen, junior Madleen Lang, sophomore Alex Landman
Outlook: Landman, Lang, Breen and Jonen will be at the forefront of Huntley's improvement this season. "Alex has great mental toughness and is a good athlete," said Wells. "Madleen is a German foreign exchange student with powerful strokes and Emma Breen and Emma Jonen bring experience and leadership." Wells likes how both the singles and doubles divisions are coming together. "In the past we've usually had stronger doubles than singles, but this year we have a more balanced lineup and are going to be competitive in both singles and doubles against most teams," he said. Wells is hopeful his squad can improve on the program's all-time best FVC finish. "Fourth out of 14 is the highest we've finished in conference," he said. "It is our goal to finish higher than that this year." Wells also lists Jacobs and Prairie Ridge as potential league favorites.
Jacobs Golden EaglesCoach: Jon Betts
2014 finish: 26-2, 11-0 Fox Valley Conference champions
Top returning players: Seniors Ashley Kosy, Maggie Corbett, juniors Alexa Azcui, Katie Toomire, Haley Steinkamp
Key newcomers: Seniors Shelley Seong, Ivana Mladenovic, Rachel Schillmoeller, Christine Puleo, junior Marie Beyer, sophomore Kylie Skepnek.
Outlook: Jacobs, which enjoyed a masterful 2014 season, graduated 18 players from that team. "It could be easy to label 2015 a rebuilding year, but we feel there is reason to believe we can continue to compete at a very high level," said Betts. "With a pair of outstanding singles players returning, I believe our singles will be a dependable area of strength for us. On the doubles side we have a number of girls ready for the challenge that comes with competing in the varsity lineup. The girls have been extremely hard through the offseason and are eager to test themselves against the tough opponents they'll face in the conference this year." Kosy is the defending No. 1 singles conference champion and a returning state qualifier, while Steinkamp won the No. 2 singles FVC title. Corbett was the conference runner-up at No. 3 singles last season. Azcui and Toomire were conference champions at No. 3 doubles. Betts says Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake Central are teams to keep an eye on in the league.
Larkin RoyalsCoach: Kevin Schillerstrom
Top returning players: Seniors Sarah ElRahmany, Vina Shee
Outlook: ElRahmany and Shee give the Royals experience. The two combined to play in 37 matches last season. "Our strength is the support the players give each other and the support by the coaches," said Schillerstrom, in his fourth season at the helm. "We don't have a lot of experience. Our obstacle, as always, has been to get athletes who have experience in the sport."
Streamwood SabresCoach: Kristina Sawyer
Top returning players: Sophomore Alaina Kanthaphixay
Outlook: Sawyer is in her first season as head coach and takes over a Sabres' squad that returns promising sophomore player Kanthaphixay. She sported a 13-3 mark last year as a freshman playing No. 1 singles.
St. Edward Green WaveCoach: Paul Netzel
Top returning players: Annemarie Pettey, Kennedy Clue, Gwen Schaefer
Outlook: The Green Wave will feature Pettey at the No. 1 singles position, while Clue and Schaefer will comprise the No. 1 doubles team. "The three returning seniors will provide a more competitive season," said Netzel, in his third year as the Green Wave's head coach.
South Elgin StormCoach: Melissa Tuftedal
Top returning athlete: Senior Corinne Hildebrandt
Key newcomer: Freshman Bri Barconi
Outlook: Hildebrandt is a two-time state qualifier and gives the Storm experienced at the top of the singles lineup. Barconi is a freshman with plenty of potential. "Corinne has played on varsity all four years and will give it her all until the very last point," said Tuftedal. "Bri is a freshman playing up on the varsity with a lot of talent." South Elgin graduated five players plus a foreign exchange student from a year ago. "I have a very young varsity team," said Tuftedal. "I am looking forward to another great season with the girls giving 100 percent each time and always striving to do their best. The girls always are willing to work hard, they never give up and have a positive attitude."