High school boys tennis: 2019 season team previews

FOX VALLEY CONFERENCE

Cary-Grove

Coach: Amanda Schuetzle (9th season)

Last year: 13-2, 6-2 FVC

Top returners: Ted Conneen, jr.; Thomas Conneen, sr.; Michael Greenwald, sr.; Daniel Sowa, jr.

Key newcomers: Daniel Boldt, jr.; Evan Eckheart, sr.; Tommy Holczynski, jr.; Charlie Kraft, jr.

Noteworthy: C-G graduated five experienced players from last year's team. The Trojans have four returning starters. … Isaac Rands is out for the season with a torn labrum, which he suffered during wrestling season. He and Ted Conneen were likely to be the No. 1 doubles pair before Rands' injury. … "Some incoming juniors who have put some time in during the offseason are bringing a lot of energy and commitment to our team," Schuetzle said.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Cory Osterberg (first season of second stint, fifth overall)

Last year: 6-7, 2-6 FVC

Top returners: John Wallace, sr.; Luke Reupert, sr.; Jared Otlewis, sr.; Alex Kershaw, sr.; Carl Weckerlin, sr.; Kolbe Wallin, sr.; Austin Goze, sr.; Ian Shuman, sr.

Key newcomers: Matt Dziewior, sr.; Aditya Khandeshi, sr.; Nate Kopp, sr.; Matt Bass, jr.; Joel Brickey, so.; Ben Weichman, fr.

Noteworthy: Wallace was a state qualifier in Class 2A last season and the FVC Tournament runner-up in the No. 1 singles bracket. He should be one of the top singles players in the conference again. … Osterberg returns to the head coaching role after serving as the junior varsity coach last season. ... "We have a senior-dominated lineup," Osterberg said. "So there is a lot of experience and good leadership."

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Rick Bailey (first season)

Last year: 5-5, 3-5 FVC

Top returners: Alex Freeman, sr.; Dan Minogue, sr.; Sam Palmer, sr.; Nathan Koh, sr.; Will Howard, so.; Carson O'Connor, so.; Ethan Wilkening, so.

Key newcomers: Jackson Schuetzle, fr.; Ethen Schock, fr.

Noteworthy: This will be the first season in school history without legendary coach Don Nead. The Gators found a veteran to take over the boys program. Bailey coached at Johnsburg for 25 seasons and coached one season at Mundelein last year. … South has seven returning players with varsity experience. Freeman is a three-year starter who was at No. 2 singles last season. … The Gators drop into Class 1A during the postseason this year.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Andrew Tollberg (second season)

Last year: 3-9, 2-6 FVC

Top returners: JT Butcher, sr.; Orlando Garcia, sr.; Zach Grabowski, sr.; Jonah Koehlert, jr.; Sneh Shah, sr.

Key newcomers: Nathan Koehlert, jr.; Jan Miodowski, so.; Tyler Mueller, so.; Esam Shah, jr.

Noteworthy: Dundee-Crown's top doubles team from last season, Chase Nelson and Jack Miller, has graduated. The Chargers have five seniors on the roster this season. … "We have a lot of young players that we are hoping will really take our coaching well and continue to develop," Tollberg said.

Hampshire

Coach: Dylan Clark (first season)

Last year: 7-13, 3-5 FVC

Top returners: Blake Snider, sr.; John McCann, sr.; Daniel Hawkey, sr.; Josh Milan, sr.; Chris Carr, sr.

Key newcomers: Kyle Springborn, sr.; Max Jaquint, jr.; Juan Luna, jr.

Noteworthy: Clark takes over for former coach Art Steuber. Clark went to McHenry West and played for the Warriors. He also played at McHenry County College. … Snider was a state qualifier last season in doubles. ... "I hope to develop my players' strategy and skills throughout the season," Clark said. He also said the Whip-Purs have set a goal of finishing in the top four of the FVC.

Huntley

Coach: Barry Wells (14th season)

Last year: 21-2, 8-0 FVC; FVC regular-season and tournament champion

Top returners: Justin Schee, sr.; Julian Collins, sr.; Ben Saiz, sr.; Drake Southwell, jr.; Jack Adams, jr.; Saarav Desai, so.; Andrew Burkey, so.; Thomas Patel, so.

Key newcomers: Matthew Grubbs, fr.; Daniru Dharmaratne, so.

Noteworthy: The Red Raiders made history last season winning their first FVC title. They lost some key seniors but return much of their starting lineup. … Desai finished third in the FVC No. 1 singles bracket as a freshman and was named to the Northwest Herald All-Area first team. Schee was highly competitive at No. 2 singles a year ago. … The Red Raiders still are tinkering with their doubles lineups, but Collins and Adams are likely to play together at No. 1 doubles.

Jacobs

Coach: Jon Betts (sixth season)

Last year: 18-8, 5-3 FVC

Top returners: Kyle Burton, sr.; Kevin Burton, sr.; Alex Luy, sr.; Ethan Schmidt, jr.; Brandon Dinh, jr.; Chris Kastritis, jr.; John Kaiser, so.

Key newcomers: Thomas Nelson, fr.; Jed Sia, fr.; Justin Brzeski, fr.; Grant Stelton, jr.

Noteworthy: The FVC No. 1 singles champion, Kerwin Chong, has graduated. Chong was a four-time state qualifier. … Kyle and Kevin Burton were state qualifiers in doubles but have each played singles in the past. Kyle Burton was the FVC champion at No. 2 singles last season. So Betts will have options in the lineup with those two. … "With a young but experienced group, we're excited about the possibilities we have to improve this season," Betts said.

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Funkhouser (14th season)

Last year: 2-11

Top returners: Liam Nielsen, jr.

Key newcomers: Sean Fischler, jr.; Aidan Koleno, so.; Jorge Perez, jr.; Enrique Ravelo, jr.

Noteworthy: Funkhouser said this year's Warriors team will be one of the youngest teams he has coached in his 14 years. McHenry has 17 freshmen. "I am excited to see who steps up and wants the challenge of playing at the varsity level," Funkhouser said.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Willy Stastny (first season)

Last year: 7-1 FVC; Class 1A sectional champion, eighth place at 1A state tournament

Top returners: Max Kueller, sr.; Jared Arkell, sr.; Jakub Rugala, sr.; Hunter Fredrick, sr.; Sam Kim, so.; Nathan Kim, so.

Noteworthy: Out of five state qualifiers in 2018, Kueller is the only one who returns in 2019. He qualified in singles last year. … The Wolves finished eighth at the 1A state finals a year ago but graduated all four of their state-qualifying doubles players. That includes Daniel Lamar and Patrick Nasta, who were the 2018 Northwest Herald Boys Tennis Players of the Year. … Stastny takes over for former coach Jim Benson. Stastny and first-year Hampshire coach Dylan Clark once teamed up to win the FVC No. 2 doubles tournament while playing for McHenry in 2011.

KISHWAUKEE RIVER CONFERENCE

Johnsburg

Coach: Sean Stochl (second season)

Last year: 6-10, 2-4 FVC

Top returners: Brian Anderson, sr.; Kyle Muehlfelder, sr.; Lucas Toussaint, so.

Key newcomer: Peter Link, fr.; Alec Smith, sr.

Noteworthy: Anderson was a state qualifier in Class 1A for the Skyhawks as a singles player last season. He was Johnsburg's first boys tennis state qualifier since 2013. … Stochl said the Skyhawks hope to compete in the KRC. … Smith will add tennis to his arsenal, which includes basketball and football quarterback.

Marengo

Coach: Erika Nelson (fourth season)

Top returners: Michael Shahid, jr.; Aaron Phillips, so.

Key newcomers: TK Reed, jr.; Tommy Lulinski, so.; Ren Hasegawa, sr.

Noteworthy: Marengo coach Erika Nelson said the Indians are "looking forward to making more improvements in our foundation and improving consistency across the program." … Marengo has just two seniors on the roster, but lots of sophomores and juniors.

Woodstock

Coach: Jake Porter (third season)

Last year: 10-4, 5-1 KRC; KRC co-champion

Top returners: Jordan Aparri, sr.; Ian Dawdy, sr.; Riley Ellegood, so.

Key newcomers: Brad Arnold, so.; Jack Cunningham, sr.; David Lopez, sr.; Andy Princer, sr.

Noteworthy: Three Blue Streaks return with sectional experience from last season: Aparri, Dawdy and Ellegood. … Woodstock hopes to compete for its third straight KRC title. … Porter also said the Blue Streaks hope to have a player reach the Class 1A state tournament this season. "We have sectional experience and we want to execute once we're there," Porter said.

Woodstock North

Coach: Bart Zadlo (second season)

Last year: 6-8, 5-1 KRC; KRC co-champion

Top returners: Alex Fabian, sr.; Collin McClurg, sr.; Nick Phillips, jr.; Nate Syens, sr.; Davin Scherman, sr.

Key newcomers: Alex Toepper, jr.

Noteworthy: McClurg and Phillips were the No. 1 doubles pair last season and came one win short of reaching the Class 1A state tournament. North never has sent a boys tennis player to state but is looking to change that this season. … Zadlo said this year's seniors have "rejuvenated a program that was lacking in numbers, motivation and skill before they started" together as freshmen three years ago.

EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

Marian Central

Coach: Gina Jasovic (second season)

Top returners: Michael Dowling, sr.; Andrew Lydon, sr.; Max Striedl, sr.

Key newcomers: Justas Venys, fr.

Noteworthy: Dowling was a state qualifier in doubles last season, playing with now-graduated Ian Brzeski. Dowling will play No. 1 singles this year. … Lydon and Striedl likely will team up at No. 1 doubles. "They have good chemistry on the court," Jasovic said of the pair. Jasovic also noted that Lydon was named Marian's most improved player last season. … The Hurricanes have only eight players in the boys tennis program this season.