High school girls tennis: 2018 team previews

FOX VALLEY CONFERENCE

Cary-Grove

Coach: Therese Youel (first season)

Last year: 15-10, 5-3 FVC; third at FVC tournament

Top returners: Bethany Marshall, sr.; Sarah Schultz, sr.; Elizabeth Lalond, sr.; Alina Krembuszewski, jr.

Key newcomers: Jazz Flashing, jr.; Olivia Schladt, jr.

Worth noting: Marshall won the No. 1 singles championship at the FVC tournament last fall. She was a Class 2A state qualifier and looks to have another solid year at the top of the Trojans lineup. C-G finished third at the FVC tournament last year.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Cory Osterberg (first season)

Last year: 12-12, 3-5 FVC

Top returners: Giselle Lemke, so.; Katie Haviland, sr.; Kyleigh Kessler, sr.; Cassie Preshlock, sr.; Kylah Parrish, jr.

Key newcomers: Emma Grindstaff, fr.; Ellie McGinnis, so.; Julia Fier, jr.; Kenna Kessler, jr.

Worth noting: Osterberg previously coached the Tigers boys tennis team for four seasons. This will be his first as head varsity coach for the girls. The Tigers return a number of experienced players. "I like how deep this team is," Osterberg said. Kessler was an All-Area Honorable Mention in doubles last season.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Amanda Schuetzle (first season)

Last year: 18-1, 7-1 FVC, second at FVC tournament

Top returners: Skylar Olsen, sr.; Anna Chang, so.; Hannah Schuetzle, jr.; Sarah Schuetzle, jr.

Key newcomers: Lizzy Sudbrook, fr.

Worth noting: For the first time in 23 years, head coach Don Nead won't be on the Gators' sideline. The longtime coach (who was a girls tennis assistant coach for years before becoming the head coach) retired after 50 years. Schuetzle previously coached Crystal Lake Central girls tennis. The Gators look to replace five senior starters from last season. Olsen was the FVC tournament runner-up at No. 1 singles.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Andrew Tollberg (first season)

Last year: 0-8 FVC

Top returners: Mary Domich, sr.; Cady English, sr.; Erin Hajek, sr.; Dana Howard, jr.; Zoey Lufman, sr.; Josie Munoz, sr.; Sandy Perez, sr.; Anna Russell, sr.; Suzi Thompson, jr.

Key newcomers: Olivia Gard, jr.; Jessica Silva, sr.; Lizbeth Tinajero, jr.

Worth noting: Tollberg takes over for his first season coaching the girls program after coaching the boys in the spring. The Chargers return a sizable group of seniors and Tollberg said D-C has set a goal of finishing in the top five in the FVC. "[The] players have been working very hard on making changes and improving," Tollberg said.

Hampshire

Coach: Dylan Clark (first season)

Last year: 8-10

Top returners: Grace Witecha, sr.; Mariana Byker, sr.; Alexis Foster, sr.; Shannon Lukaszuk, so.; Kaylee Patthana, jr.

Key newcomers: Paloma Hamilton, jr.; Anika Patel, so.; Sydney Sleper, jr.; Ally Anderson, jr.; Olivia Nobbs, jr.

Worth noting: "The majority of our starting lineup is new," Clark said. "So we hope to develop our team and have a winning record." Clark, a McHenry West grad, qualified for the NJCAA tournament in 2013 while playing at McHenry County College. This will be his first season coaching the Whip-Purs.

Huntley

Coach: Barry Wells (14th season)

Last year: 18-3

Top returners: Gabbi Barnvos, sr.; Carina Bowman, sr.; Riley Conradt, sr.; Samia Desai, sr.; Michelle Barnvos, so.

Key newcomers: Kylie Phommasack, fr.; Ruhi Gulati, fr.; Meghan Fenske, jr.; Gabby Kosowski, sr.; Raegan Hilbrant, sr.; Hannah Hyslop, sr.

Worth noting: Huntley is coming off its first sectional title in girls tennis program history, buoyed by the performance of four senior state qualifiers. Those four state qualifiers have now graduated. Wells said the Red Raiders "have a hard-working group of girls with a good mix of returning players and young talent."

Jacobs

Coach: Jon Betts (14th season)

Last year: 16-5, 7-1 FVC

Top returners: Lindsay Cunningham, jr.; Ramya Nissankula, sr.; Rebecca Mudge, sr.; Katherine Neruda, sr.; Brianna Japkowski, sr; Lindsey Taylor, jr.

Key newcomers: Carolyn Atkinson, sr.; Angelina Adame, sr.; Tania Vesselinova, jr.; Kaitlyn Skorburg, jr.; Melissa Tan, jr.; Kaya Trumbo, fr.; Isha Desai, fr.

Worth noting: Cunningham was a state qualifier in singles last season as a sophomore. The Golden Eagles have won at least a share of the FVC title four years in a row. Nissankula and Japkowski won the No. 2 doubles title at the FVC tournament a year ago. Betts expects they will be split up this season. Jacobs has lost only one FVC regular season match in four years.

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Funkhouser (12th season)

Top returners: Grace Dudley, sr.; Kimee Stachura, sr.; Chloe Cassidy, sr.; Sydney Ekeroth, so.

Key newcomers: Katrina Neufeld, fr.; Alexandra Fogleman, fr.; Samantha Sobotta, so.; Jacqueline Mendez, jr.; Magdieliz Diaz, jr.

Worth noting: McHenry has a large number of freshmen and sophomores on the varsity roster, but Funkhauser noted that "we will be looking for our returning seniors to help lead them through a successful season."

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Erin Palese (first season)

Top returners: Kaitlyn Theil, sr.; Macy Biggam, jr.; Colette Reiche, sr.; Maddy Ljunggren, sr.; Ela Kusmierz, jr.

Worth noting: Theil was the Wolves' top singles player last season. Kusmierz took third in the No. 2 singles bracket at the FVC tournament. They should give Prairie Ridge a competitive one-two punch at the top of the lineup. Biggam and Ljunggren were often paired together at No. 1 doubles.

KISHWAUKEE RIVER CONFERENCE

Johnsburg

Coach: Emily Chrisman (first season)

Top returners: Kamile Aleksaite, jr.; Abbie Cittadino, sr.; Lauren Hendrixson, jr.

Key newcomers: Gracie Cittadino, fr.

Worth noting: Chrisman takes over the Skyhawks program after four seasons coaching the junior varsity team. Aleksaite and Cittadino were KRC champions at No. 1 doubles last season and state qualifiers in Class 1A. Hendrixson also returns with experience after winning the KRC No. 2 singles title in 2017.

Marengo

Coach: Erika Nelson (fourth season)

Last year: 0-6

Top returners: Maddy Haas, jr.; Kayla Faber, jr.; Maddy Fitch, jr.; Devon Rado, jr.; Alexis Tena, jr.

Key newcomers: Ashtyn Martin, fr.; Jacqueline Snyder, so.

Worth noting: Marengo returns a number of players who gained varsity experience as sophomores last season. Nelson hopes her team can "continue to progress and improve" on the experience it gained in 2017.

Woodstock

Coach: Jessie Justice (seventh season)

Last year: 6-10, 2-4 KRC

Top returners: Meghan Sutter, sr.; Kamryn Bogott, sr.; Alexandra Norgard, sr.; Amy Keyzer, sr.

Key newcomers: Ashley Peralta, so.

Worth noting: Woodstock hopes to improve upon last season and finish in the top half of the KRC. Four seniors will help lead the Blue Streaks at the top of the lineup.

Woodstock North

Coach: Bart Zadlo (second season)

Last year: 13-9, 5-1 KRC; KRC champions

Top returners: Aly Culotta, jr.; Lesly Guarneros, sr.; Jenny Garcia, sr.

Key newcomers: Sophia Ferru, so.; Kirsten Morey, jr; Kaitlyn Mauck, so.; Maggie Thomas, so.

Worth noting: North won the KRC tournament in 2017. Cullotta won the conference singles title in 2017 and had a deep run in the consolation bracket at the IHSA Class 1A state tournament. Cullotta finished her state weekend at 3-2 overall. Zadlo said the Thunder hope to compete for another KRC title and send multiple players to state.

EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

Marian Central

Coach: Gina Jasovic (first season)

Top returners: Megan Dowling, jr.; Camryn Pischke, sr.; Jenna Powers, sr.; Taylor Powers, sr.

Key newcomers: Ellice Fernandez, so.; Naomi Di Gangi, so.; Maddie Hogel, so.

Worth noting: Jasovic said No. 1 singles player Megan Dowling is "a very dedicated, strong player who is definitely someone to look out for." Twin sisters Jenna and Taylor Powers will play in the No. 1 doubles spot. Jasovic coached the Hurricanes boys team in the spring and is entering her first season coaching the girls.