2015 Girls Tennis Capsule Previews
ADELSON SCHOOL
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Tom Gillespie, third season
2014 record: 1-9 (1-7 Sunset, eighth)
Outlook: The Lions struggled last year, but are hoping returning players can lead the team to a more successful season.
“We are hopeful, this year, to be one of the top three high school tennis teams,” Gillespie said.
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ARBOR VIEW
League: Division I Northwest
Head coach: Brian Griffin, second season
2014 record: 9-3 (6-2 Northwest, second)
Returning letter winners: Four
Top athletes: Catherine Arizmendez (Jr.), Devin Diesko (Jr.), Kahlea Kimoto (Fr.)
Outlook: The Aggies return a good 1-2 punch at the top of the singles lineup in Arizmendez (22-8 in singles) and Diesko (21-9).
“We would love to compete for the league title this year,” Griffin said. “There are lots of newcomers to the team, but they have athletic backgrounds and will help us be successful.”
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BASIC
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Bart Black, 19th season
2014 record: 3-10 (3-7 Southeast, fourth)
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Jasmine Pilande (Sr.), Britney Green (Jr.)
Outlook: Pilande was the team’s No. 1 singles player last year, and Green played on the Wolves’ No. 1 doubles team.
“We don’t have a lot of experienced tennis players,” Black said. “We’re hoping to battle for a playoff spot.”
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CORONADO
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Luther Bohanan, 10th season
2014 record: 11-4 (8-2 Southeast, second)
Returning letter winners: Ten
Top athletes: Camille Solla (Sr.), Alexandra Doherty (Sr.), Nikoletta Nikoloff (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cougars return 10 letter winners from last year’s Sunrise Region championship team.
Coronado will try to extend its streaks of five straight region titles and six consecutive state tournament appearances.
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DESERT PINES
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Jan Van Tuyl, fifth season
2014 record: 11-2 (6-1 Sunrise, second)
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Ashley Palacios (Sr.)
Outlook: Palacios, who was 35-1 last season and has been a solid doubles player throughout her career, leads a list of six letter winners for the Jaguars, who lost only twice last season — an 11-7 decision to Sunrise champion Boulder City, and a 13-5 setback to Clark in the postseason.
“We did very well last year, but it will be difficult to repeat that record,” Van Tuyl said. “We have added some upper-division schools to our schedule, which will show us where we are getting to.
“The girls have worked hard this summer to improve their game and ability levels. The group we have this year is an interesting group with a great personality. We will show up for all the matches and see where the ball falls.”
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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Jeff Foley, fifth season
2014 record: 17-1 (8-0 Sunset, first)
Returning letter winners: Twelve
Top athletes: Madison Foley (Jr.), Michelle Reiss (Jr.), Jayden Mattson (Jr.), Carolyn DiPasquale (Sr.)
Outlook: Coming off the best season in program history, the Crusaders return 12 letter winners from last year’s Division I-A state championship team.
Madison Foley was the Division I-A state runner-up in singles in 2013 and qualified for the state singles tournament last year, but pulled out because of an injured ankle. Reiss and Mattson teamed to finish third in the I-A state doubles tournament.
Faith Lutheran must make up for the loss of state singles runner-up Kathleen Wright and starters Kristina Berg and Vanessa Lee.
“With several returning state qualifiers, the additions from the Faith middle school team, some players new to Faith, and the big improvement from several members of last year’s squad, the Crusaders will be in contention for the title again this season,” coach Foley said.
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FOOTHILL
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Matt Iglitz, 10th season
2014 record: 6-6 (6-4 Southeast, third)
Returning letter winners: Ten
Top athletes: Emily Campbell (So.), Morgan Hawkins (Sr.), Caitlyn Stevenson (Jr.)
Outlook: The Falcons lost their top singles player, but return 10 letter winners as they look to finish in the top half of the Southeast League.
“With most of the 2014 team returning, Foothill will work towards competing for another playoff berth in the Southeast League,” Iglitz said.
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GREEN VALLEY
League: Division I Southeast
Head coach: Kelli Grimm, first season
2014 record: 13-1 (10-0 Southeast, first)
Returning letter winners: Six
Outlook: Grimm inherits a team that brings back six letter winners after advancing to the Sunrise Region final last year.
The Gators should contend for the region title again this year.
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PALO VERDE
League: Division I Southwest
Head coach: Zach Brandt, first season
2014 record: 16-0 (8-0 Southwest, first)
Returning letter winners: Fourteen
Top athletes: Kristen Newell (Sr.), Chloe Henderson (Sr.), Sophie Henderson (Jr.), Annie Walker (Jr.), Isabella Shelton (So.)
Outlook: Years of close calls and near misses finally came to an end last season when the Panthers rolled to the state title.
And it could be the start of a streak as Palo Verde returns arguably the most talent in the state.
The Henderson sisters have won the last two state doubles titles. Shelton was on the state runner-up doubles team last year, and Walker and Newell both were state semifinalists in singles.
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SPRING VALLEY
League: Division I-A Sunset
Head coach: Robert Bloom, 11th season
2014 record: 2-8 (2-6 Sunset, seventh)
Returning letter winners: Four
Top athletes: Guadalupe Gomez-Navarro (Sr.), Shea Sanchez (Sr.), Sydney Pravato (So.), Jazmine Abundis (Sr.), Michelle Lu (Jr.)
Outlook: The Grizzlies showed some signs of improvement last year after struggling in their final two years in Division I.
Sanchez, a two-year varsity letter winner, and Gomez-Navarro, the school’s female student-athlete of the year last season, lead a list of five returnees.
“We have a strong turnout in numbers this year,” Bloom said. “It will be more of a building year than we’ve often had in the past.”
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TECH
League: Division I-A Sunrise
Head coach: Randy Michalik
2014 record: 6-4 (5-2 Sunrise, third)
Top athletes: Lourdes Santiago (Sr.), Avery Rayos (Jr.), Jasmine Munoz (Sr.), Maleena DiMaggio (Sr.)
Outlook: The Roadrunners finished third in the Sunrise League last year and are hoping to return to the postseason.
“The Roadrunners will be rebuilding this year as there are a lot of new players out there,” Michalik said.
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VALLEY
League: Division I Northeast
Head coach: Matt Porter, third season
2014 record: 3-9 (3-5 Northeast, third)
Returning letter winners: Four
Top athletes: Katie Streit (Sr.), Annelisa Laizure (So.)
Outlook: Only four letter winners return for the Vikings, who still should contend for a playoff spot.
“It is a team with many new faces and could easily be labeled a rebuilding year,” Porter said. “However, I feel we have the potential to be a solid tennis team.”