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Hinsdale Central tennis is the No. 3 girls high school sports dynasty

Hinsdale Central's girls tennis program boasts only one singles state championship since 2000.

That's fine with the Red Devils.

What they have instead is a trophy case — or two, or three — filled with IHSA team state title trophies. Considering the lack of individual dominance, the team dynasty is a credit to the depth in the program.

“It's incredible to have all these teams filled with players who are nationally ranked,” said Red Devils coach Shawna Zsinko, a three-time medalist at Hinsdale Central between 1997 and 2000. “Our success has been all about team depth. Tennis is such an individual sport but I think it's good to learn the dynamics of being part of a team.”

Under hall-of-fame coach Jerilyn Scardina, in 1999 Hinsdale Central won its first team tennis title since 1983. Then came the avalanche.

Since 2000 the Red Devils have won 12 team titles including four-peats from 2006 to 2009 and 2013 to 2016. Two titles were won without a singles player finishing in the top four.

Don't get the wrong idea ... Hinsdale Central's seen plenty of individual success highlighted by Isabella Lorenzini's state title run in 2015. The Red Devils won a doubles state title seven times since 2000.

For the bulk of the program's run, though, team titles were earned with the cumulative effort of two singles and two doubles qualifiers. Six times the Red Devils won the state title by 4 points or fewer including by a single point in 2018.

“Every half-point matters,” Zsinko said. “Even if you lose that first match, it's critical to keep going through the back draw.”

Fighting through the back draw means fighting for a team title.

No one understands that better than Hinsdale Central's girls tennis players.

“Every group wants to compete and dominate,” Zsinko said. “We're lucky to be along for the ride.”

Twitter: @kevin_schmit

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The Hinsdale Central doubles team of Megan Guenther, left, and Erika Oku won the state title in 2016 while leading the Red Devils to the team championship. Daily Herald file photo
Hinsdale Central's tennis team celebrated the first of four straight state titles in 2006. Daily Herald file photo
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