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The high school tennis season is in full swing, and with the postseason tournaments rapidly approaching, players are hoping to hit peak form.
Glenbard East Rams
Top players:
Priscilla Palermo, fr. singles
Angela Kerndl, jr. singles
Wendi Guraziu, sr. doubles
Janie Jemmi, sr. doubles
Outlook: As soon as Priscilla Palermo enrolled at Glenbard East, the freshman was the best player in the school. Palermo has competed in USTA events, including holding her own at regional and national tournaments.
Palermo already has settled in to the No. 1 singles spot for the Rams. Most recently, she picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win in the Rams’ 6-1 victory over Glenbard North on Tuesday and went 3-0, along with the team, at the Hoffman Estates Quad on Saturday.
Other than Palermo, the Rams have found a solid No. 1 doubles team in seniors Janie Jemmi and Wendi Guraziu. Junior Angela Kerndl has stepped into the No. 2 singles spot behind Palermo.
The No. 2 doubles team of Mary Kurtz and Nicki Vachlon also went 3-0 at the Hoffman Estates Quad and picked up a win over Glenbard North. Entering Wednesday’s match with Elk Grove, the Rams had won five of their first seven matches.
Montini Broncos
Top players:
Gabby Stinsa, so.
Sophia Yunez, so.
Sarah Sniegowski, sr.
Outlook: Montini has an inexperienced group that has struggled to compete against the year-round tennis players at bigger programs, but had some success so far this season. As of Wednesday, the Broncos were 4-8 and 1-5 in the Suburban Christian Conference.
A pair of sophomores, Gabby Stinsa and Sophia Yunez, and senior Sarah Sniegowski highlight the lineup.
The No. 2 doubles team of senior Jeanne Disis and junior Sarah Robertson won a tournament at Addison Trail over the weekend.
Addison Trail Blazers
Top players:
Brenda Rodriguez, sr. doubles
Caelainn Barry, sr. doubles
Mary Kate Flemming, sr. doubles
Ekaterin Gjonaj, sr. doubles
Outlook: Injury struck the Blazers hard when senior No. 1 singles player Carmelita Villalobos went down.
Villalobos suffered a partially torn ACL during gymnastics season in the winter. After returning to the courts in the spring, she went down with a meniscus injury the day before the first match this season.
“She was one win from going to state last year and probably would have made it this year because of all the practice she had put in over the summer,” coach Justin Hegner said.
Even after the injury, Villalobos was cleared to play with a brace on the knee before she had surgery Tuesday. Instead of holding off on the surgery and playing this season, she decided she wanted to be healthy for college since she plans to continue her career.
Villalobos played at No. 2 doubles in the Elk Grove Invite and partnered with Mary Kate Flemming, whose partner was out for ACT testing. The makeshift team went 2-1 to take third place and earn a medal, the first time anyone from AT had done so at that tournament.
“Mary Kate made up for the balls that Carmelita couldn’t get to and Carmelita hit amazing powerful shots even with a bad knee,” Hegner said. “It was great to see Carmelita get out there one last time and receive a medal her senior year before surgery.”
In Villalobos’ absence, AT has relied on its top doubles teams to pick up key wins. Brenda Rodriguez and Caelainn Barry at No. 1 and Flemming and Ekaterin Gjonaj at No. 2 both finished second at the AT quad a couple of weeks ago.
Hegner said the Blazers hope to repeat last season’s third place finish in the West Suburban Gold.
Willowbrook Warriors
Top players:
Katherine Hinman, sr. singles
Audrey Ding, sr. doubles
Janine Johnson, sr. doubles
Outlook: No. 1 singles player Katherine Hinman and seniors Audrey Ding and Janine Johnson at No. 1 doubles lead the way for the Warriors, who already have wins against nearby teams Addison Trail and Montini this season.