Kim Sawyer credits many of her 89 career Batavia girls tennis victories to former doubles partner Alexa Schofield, the recent graduate she joined forces with for a state tournament run last year.
It’s a link Sawyer won’t soon forget, although each passing win puts the Bulldogs senior closer to leaving Schofield behind. Thursday’s 6-1, 6-1 sweep of Kaneland’s Lindsay Jurcenko drew Sawyer to within 20 victories of tying Schofield’s school record of 109.
“Kim’s got a good shot to make a run at that and keeps getting better every year,” Batavia coach Brad Nelson said. “She’s really evolved into a clear-cut No. 1 with an incredible game all-around.”
Sawyer has simultaneously led her team while continuing to set an example for the Bulldogs’ emerging core of underclassmen. Sophomore Hannah Potter moved to 7-0 in No. 2 singles with a straight sets win against the Knights’ Amelia Napiorkowski, her 31st career victory.
Meanwhile, sophomores Kaitlyn Mills and Tamar Norville have become key contributors on separate doubles tandems as freshman Miranda Grizaffi rounds into form at No. 3 singles.
“We had a lot of question marks coming in,” Nelson said. “Were our doubles teams going to mesh? Were your young people at the top of the lineup going to respond? So far, everyone has been outstanding.”
Batavia (6-0-1) has sustained its success while playing without senior Elana Mudrak, who decided not to come out for the team in order to rest her Achilles tendon for soccer season. The Bulldogs will travel today to the eight-team St. Charles East Mary Carlson Invitational that includes Geneva and traditional power Wheaton Warrenville South.
Sawyer enters the tourney third on Batavia's all-time wins list, trailing Schofield and Mollie Peskind (103).
Got their numbers
The Web site dyestat.com ranks high school cross country teams in several of the sport's "power" states, including Illinois.
When a pair of defending top 10 state finishers wound up well outside that zone in the organization’s preseason ratings, two coaches wondered what gave to varying degrees.
“I don’t know where they got their info,” said St. Charles East girls coach Denise Hefferin, whose third-place team in 2008 was pegged 16th. “But then again, we weren’t that concerned or surprised.”
St. Charles North boys coach Steve Imig echoed Hefferin for a time but was also more reactionary. His eighth-place team from a year ago lost some key contributors – like East – and fell to 19th.
“We’re the only ones that can control our destiny, really, but if anything that adds a little fuel to the fire,” Imig said. “I think the guys took it as a challenge.”
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kelly Whitley
Geneva cross country, Jr.
What she did: Running at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles – site of the IHSA regionals and sectionals later this fall – Whitley withstood a charge from Barrington freshman Rebecca Batliner to win the season-opening Leavey Invitational in 17:48.6. Her first-place finish kept the Vikings close in the team standings, but Geneva ultimately finished second to fellow powerhouse York, 74-72.
What Whitley said: "We're all giving our best at every practice to build up for the big meets. We're eating healthy, we're staying healthy, the whole bit."
WHAT WE LEARNED LAST WEEK ...
Kayla Fujimoto is a gamer. The Geneva senior returned to the No. 1 singles slot for the Vikings to top Glenbard South's Olivia Bouchard 6-1, 6-0, Thursday in Western Sun Conference play. Fujimoto has been battling an ailing right knee since the summer.
WHAT WE'LL LEARN IN THE WEEK AHEAD ...
To what extent Rosary will dominate its new conference. The three-time defending girls state swimming champions host Suburban Christian Conference rivals St. Francis and Montini in a triangular at Marmion at 5 p.m. Tuesday.