High school girls tennis: Team preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Fox Division

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Amanda Schuetzle (second season)

Last year: Third, FVC Tournament; Third, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Devki Brahmbhatt, sr.; Kati Cornelius, sr.; Jane Johnsey, Jr.; Maddie Fox, sr.; Sarah Massett, sr.; Sarah Yoon, sr.

Key newcomers: Alyssa St. John, fr.

Worth noting: Fox returns as a state qualifier in doubles last year. Schuetzle said her lineup is still in flux and she is looking for the right pairings in doubles.

Grayslake Central

Coach: Chuck Lawson (ninth season)

Last year: Fourth, FVC Tournament; third, Lakes Sectional

Top returners: Raquel Ruiz, sr.; Nikki Tatsuguchi, sr.; Lia Boucek, so.; Jessica Kula, jr.; Kathreen Tolentino, jr.

Key newcomers: Avra Reddy, so.; Fran Tolentino, fr.; Trisha Yen, jr.; Danielle Kaply, jr.

Worth noting: The Rams return Boucek, who won the FVC at No. 3 singles. Lawson hopes to finish in the top four at the FVC a tournament.

Grayslake North

Coach: Jill Tomasello (11th season)

Last year: Ninth, FVC Tournament; Seventh, Lakes Sectional

Top returners: Abby Rice, sr.; Emma Krostal, sr.; Paige Proessel, sr.; Charlotte Muehlman, sr.; Gillian Mueller, sr.

Key newcomers: Annie Scoltock, jr.; Catie Dole, jr.; Jaclyn Williams, jr.; Emma Indelcoffer, jr.

Worth noting: The Knights will have a brand new lineup this season, according to Tomasello. She said they are excited about the changes and the influx of new players.

Hampshire

Coach: Bill Jepsen (fifth season)

Last year: Eighth, FVC Tournament; Seventh, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Hannah Hougland, sr.

Worth noting: Hougland returns as a three time state qualifier. The Whip-Purs graduated nine from last year’s starting lineup. Jepsen said they are in a rebuilding phase but have some prospects who could develop into players.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Jim Benson (third season)

Last year: Second, FVC Tournament; First, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Annie Timm, jr.; Morgan Priesz, so.; Julia Kappil, so.; Katie Cox, jr.; Jenna Van Bosch, sr.; Morgan Riddell, sr.

Key newcomers: Diana Muranovic, sr.; Corey Johnson, jr.; Danielle Tranter, jr.; Addison Karlblom, jr.; Kaitlyn Thiel, fr.

Worth noting: The Wolves return Timm, a singles state qualifier and Riddell/Van Bosch who qualified in doubles. They will again be one of the top area teams and challenge conference and sectional titles.

Woodstock North

Coach: Judy Roller (second season)

Last year: 13th, FVC Tournament; 10th, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Annie Bartlett, sr.; Alexa Branecki, sr.; Anna Gabrielson, sr.; Fanny Garcia, sr.; Alley Lavin, sr.; Kasia Mucha, sr.; Abbey Krieger, sr.; Allison Nordvall, sr.; Molly Schwieger, sr.; Isabel Walsh, sr.; McKayla Gracios, jr.; Nickolyn Jackson, jr.; Lulu Nicks, jr.

Key newcomers: Corina Ebel, jr.; Sofia Noonan, jr.; Tori Petersen, jr.

Worth noting: Nicks returns as the Thunder’s No. 1 singles player. Roller said Nicks worked hard during the offseason and went to camps and played in tournaments during the summer.

Woodstock

Coach: Jessie Justice (fourth season)

Last year: 11

^th

, FVC Tournament; Fourth, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Katy Holub, sr.; Brenda Ordonez

Key newcomers: Kyla Youmans, jr.; Jess Phipps, jr.; Shannon Fetzner, jr.; Nancy Pimentel, jr.; Erin Fisher, jr.; Cori Patterson, jr.; Jill Hampston, jr.; Lena Vogel, jr.; Courtney Sciarro, so.; Gabriella Scolio, jr.

Worth noting: Holub is the only returning player who played the whole season on varsity. Ordonez was a late season call-up. It will be the Blue Streaks last season in the FVC before moving to the Kishwaukee River Conference.

Valley Division

Cary-Grove

Coach: Laurie Bender (third season)

Last year: FVC Tournament; Eighth, Stevenson Sectional

Key returning players: Sanjana Rao, jr.; Tori Baranowski, sr.; Lauren Betz, sr.; Emily Dewey, sr.; Camryn Demkowicz, jr.; Alex Sowa, sr.; Erin O’Malley, sr.

Top newcomers: Bethany Marshall, fr.; Katie Klawitter, jr.; Maya Faber, jr.; Maisy Lyne, jr.; Emily Whitenack, jr.

Worth noting: The Trojans have five returning starters and will play Marshall at No. 1 singles. Bender said she does not have many players who play year-round or in USTA tournaments.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Don Nead (20th season)

Last year: Fifth, FVC Tournament; Fifth, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Kaci Crowley, sr.; Katie Fues, sr.; Ekta Patel, sr.; Hannah Rakofsky, jr.; Rachel Anklam, jr.; Alicia Rasmussen, jr.; Julia Kopfman, so.

Key newcomers: Cara Braasch, sr.; Jamie Flanagan, sr.; Madison Schweitzer, sr.; Claire Atkinson, so.; Skylar Olsen, fr.

Worth noting: The Gators bring back seven of last year’s starting lineup including Rakofsky at No. 1 singles, Anklam (No. 3 singles), Fues (No. 1 doubles), Patel/Crowley (No. 3 doubles) and Rasmussen/Kopfman (No. 4 doubles).

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Stephanie McClure (third season)

Last year: Seventh, FVC Tournament; 10th, Stevenson Sectional

Top returners: Alyssa Anderson, sr.; Sam Angarola, sr.; Jordan Cardinale, sr.; Mckenna Leahy, sr.; Colleen Letheby, sr.; Michelle Lim, sr.; Angie Smiech, sr.; Amanda Walker, sr.; Kristin Aagaard, jr.; Jessica Butcher, jr.; Gabby Hernandez, jr.; Kendall Johnson, jr.; Lauren Peters, jr.; Genesis Rosiles, jr.; Jessica Ruiz, jr.; Alexis Sanchez, jr.; Hannah Gannon, so.; Madie Pautz, so.; Caitlyn Zdany, so.
Key newcomers: Tobi Richardson, sr.; Ruby Leiva, sr.; Erin Hajek, fr.; Sofia Barajas, fr.; Jasmine Chavez, fr.; Brenda Guerra, fr.; Dagne Leiva, fr.; Zoe Lufman, fr.

Worth noting: The Chargers moved up seven places at the FVC Tournament last year and McClure is looking to build on that improvement with a lot of key players back.

Huntley

Coach: Barry Wells (11th season)

Last year: 12th, FVC Tournament; ninth, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Emma Breen, sr.; Emma Jonen, sr.; Rebecca Fishman, jr.; Abbey Roeser, jr.; Sam Wyslak, jr.; Alex Landman, so.

Key newcomers: Lia McCloyn, jr.; Shreya Sharma, jr.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders have several underclassmen fighting for roster spots. Wells feels they could be one of the better teams in the FVC with a solid lineup in both singles and doubles.

Jacobs

Coach: Jon Betts (11th season)

Last year: First, FVC Tournament; Second, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Ashley Kosy, sr.; Maggie Corbett, sr.; Alexa Azcui, jr.; Katie Toomire, jr.; Haley Steinkamp, so.

Key newcomers: Ivana Mladenovic, sr.; Rachel Schillmoeller, sr.; Christine Puleo, sr.; Marie Beyer, jr.; Kylie Skepnek, so.

Worth noting: The Golden Eagles lost three of their top four doubles teams from last year but return their top two singles players in Kosy and Steinkamp, both conference champions.

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Funkhouser (ninth season)

Last year: 10th, FVC Tournament; sixth, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Megan Howerton, sr.; Abbi Wember, sr.; Natalie Alatorre, sr.

Key newcomers: Haley Condon, jr.

Worth noting: The Warriors graduated almost all of its starting lineup from last year and will try to build around its returning players.

Big Northern Conference

Johnsburg

Rick Bailey (28th season)

Last year: Sixth, Lakes Sectional

Top returners: Paige King, jr.; Alyssia Altobelli, jr.; Dani McCauley, jr.; Zoe Barker, sr.

Key newcomers: Abbie Cittadino, fr.; Sophie Gasior, jr.; Stephanie Flebbe, jr.; Samantha Mulvihill, sr.; Paige Zirkel, sr.; Chelsea Benbenek, sr.; Melinda McBride, so.

Worth noting: The Skyhawks return three players at the top of their lineup in King, Altobelli and McCauley and will look for contributions from Barker and freshman Cittadino.

Marengo

Coach: Leah Trader (first season)

Last year: Fifth, Belvidere North Sectional

Top returners: Maggie Lee, sr.; Teagan Splinter, jr.; Mansi Patel, jr.; Abbie Varble, sr.; Mati Kissack, sr.; Taylor Heinberg, sr.; Alexyz Sanchez, sr.

Key newcomers: Lauren Luedtke, so.; Stephanie Pitones, fr.

Worth noting: Trader is working on building the team and attracting more players. Entering the KRC next year could benefit the program.

East Suburban Catholic Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Ginny Larsen (eighth season)

Last year: Seventh, Huntley Sectional

Top returners: Alex Shukis, sr.; Madison Loprino, sr.

Key newcomers: Caroline Yuk, jr.; Cate Yuk, jr.; Stephanie Villaceran, so.; Kelly Mink, jr.

Worth noting: The Hurricanes are young and inexperienced but Larsen said they are willing to put in the effort which should pay dividends as the season progresses.