2017 Girls Tennis Capsules
ARBOR VIEW
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Chip Peterson, first season
2016 record: 3-9 (3-9 Northwest, sixth)
Returning letter winners: Ten
Top athletes: Kahlea Kimoto (Jr.), Josephin Kupfer (Jr.), Mathilde Lecrigny (Jr.)
Outlook: Peterson takes over a team that returns 10 letter winners and hopes to contend for a postseason berth.
“We have a lot of returners, and some new talent joining the team this year,” Peterson said. “I look forward to seeing our girls compete this season, as it should be a good season.”
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BASIC
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Bart Black, 20th season
2016 record: 2-10 (2-8 Southeast, fifth)
Returning letter winners: Three
Top athletes: Miki Berg (Jr.)
Outlook: Berg, who was half of the Wolves’ No. 1 doubles team last year, will play singles and hopes to help a young Basic team have success.
“It’s a young team with not a lot of experience looking to compete for a spot in the playoffs,” Black said.
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BONANZA
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Elizabeth Brooks, first season
2016 record: 5-9 (5-7 Southwest, fourth)
Returning letter winners: Four
Top athletes: Maddie Cherry (So.), Maris Nelson (Sr.), Aubrey Adams, Kelsey Spence, Carla LaRosa
Outlook: The Bengals return only four letter winners from a team that qualified for the Sunset Region playoffs last year.
“This year’s collection of athletes will undoubtedly have success throughout the season,” Brooks said. “There is potential for the established players to bring the rest up to another level through example and their leadership capabilities.
“Postseason play is the goal for this roster because there are seasoned players throughout even though their chronological ages may tell a different story. There is competitiveness and motivation from the top through the bottom of the lineup. They have been playing together for a substantial period of time, and the results should prove that.”
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BOULDER CITY
League: Class 3A Sunrise
Head coach: Jami Pappas, first season
2016 record: 10-2 (9-1 Sunrise, second)
Returning letter winners: Eight
Top athletes: Tegan Pappas (So.)
Outlook: Tegan Pappas finished third in the Class 3A state singles tournament last year and leads a group of eight returnees for the Eagles.
“We expect to be stronger this year and feel confident that we have a very good chance to advance to the state playoffs,” Jami Pappas said.
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CHEYENNE
League: Class 3A Sunset
Head coach: Joann Fukuma, first season
2016 record: 2-11 (2-10 Sunset, fifth)
Returning letter winners: Three
Top athletes: Jaidy Guardado-Perez (Jr.), Kiara McGilbra (Sr.), Valeria Lujan-Franco (Sr.)
Outlook: Fukuma takes over a team that brings back three letter winners and hopes to show improvement during the season.
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CLARK
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Francie Angelov, fifth season
2016 record: 13-4 (10-2 Southwest, second)
Returning letter winners: Ten
Top athletes: Audrey Boch-Collins (So.)
Outlook: Boch-Collins won the Class 4A girls singles state championship last season and is one of 10 returning letter winners for the Chargers.
“We expect to go to playoffs this year and hope to send more players to state,” Angelov said.
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DEL SOL
League: Class 3A Sunrise
Head coach: Will Schultz, second season
2016 record: 0-10 (0-10 Sunrise, sixth)
Returning letter winners: One
Top athletes: Yaneli Rodriguez (Sr.)
Outlook: Rodriguez was a second-team All-Sunrise League honoree last year and is the lone returning letter winner for the Dragons, who hope to show improvement throughout the season.
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ELDORADO
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Jesse Medellin, 20th season
2016 record: 11-4 (6-2 Northeast, second)
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Heather Holman (Sr.), Jessica Samano-Ramirez (Sr.), Johanna Torrez (Jr.), Devyn Swain (Jr.), Navtej Raju (Sr.)
Outlook: The Sundevils return five letter winners from a squad that finished second in the Northeast League.
“We will be very young and inexperienced this season,” Medellin said. “The girls put in a lot of work this summer and look to gain much needed experience for the future. We will be led by seniors Heather Holman and Jessica Samano-Ramirez, who earned a berth in the Sunrise Region doubles quarterfinals last year.
“We look to improve as the season moves along and hopefully make the playoffs.”
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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Jeff Foley, seventh season
2016 record: 15-4 (10-2 Northwest, second)
Returning letter winners: Nine
Top athletes: Kennedy Barr (So.), Jade Mayweather (Jr.), Summer Stadtlander (Jr.), Kelsie Seigle (Jr.)
Outlook: Graduation hit the Crusaders hard. Nine seniors who combined for 680 career victories and led the team to three state finals and one title have departed.
The cupboard, though, is far from bare.
Nine letter winners return and the Crusaders welcome back Mayweather, who attended Faith Lutheran Middle School before playing at Bishop Gorman two years ago. Mayweather advanced to the Sunset Region quarterfinals in doubles two years ago for the Gaels.
Barr (34-5) and Stadtlander (30-8) both were first-team all-league selections last year.
Foley said he will need “a combination of relatively inexperienced returners and incoming freshmen to step up for the Crusaders to qualify for the postseason for an eighth straight season.”
Foley added has been “impressed with how hard everyone has worked so far and expects the team to get better as the season moves along.”
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FOOTHILL
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Matt Iglitz, 12th season
2016 record: 5-8 (4-6 Southeast, fourth)
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Kristel Peralta (So.), Abby Flinders (Jr.), Isabelle Hanon (Fr.)
Outlook: The Falcons bring back five letter winners from a team that qualified for the playoffs.
“We have an interesting mix of both experience and inexperience on this year’s team,” Iglitz said. “We have potential, but we also have a long road ahead of us as a team. Our five returning lettermen have all played a significant number of high school tennis matches, however we also have several players not only new to high school tennis, but new to the game of tennis.
“We will do our best to improve on a daily basis with the primary goal of reaching the region tournament.”
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LEGACY
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Alonso Mendoza, third season
2016 record: 6-8 (5-7 Northwest, fourth)
Top athletes: Ally Stolworthy (Sr.), Talya Fraser (Sr.), Apoorva Chauhan (Sr.), Blake Birkabile (Sr.)
Outlook: The Longhorns are hoping to contend for a postseason berth again this season.
“(We emphasize) sportsmanship and comradery,” Mendoza said. “We hope to make the playoffs.”
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LIBERTY
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Kih Gourrier, 12th season
2016 record: 10-4 (8-2 Southeast, second)
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Madison Knoblock (So.), Jada Whited (Sr.)
Outlook: The Patriots came within an eyelash of winning the Sunrise Region title last year, falling to Coronado in a tiebreaker in the region final.
Knoblock, a state qualifier in doubles and a first-team all-region honoree, and Whited are the only two returning letter winners for Liberty, which hopes to find some depth and compete again this year.
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THE MEADOWS
League: Class 3A Sunset
Head coach: Frideric Prandecki, fifth season
2016 record: 17-2 (12-0 Sunset, first)
Top athletes: Olivia Waysack (Sr.), Grace Nemec (Jr.)
Outlook: The Mustangs graduated a large senior class that helped the team win the last two Class 3A state titles. The Meadows has won four state titles in the last five seasons and hope to remain one of the top programs in the state.
“We are hoping to go all the way,” Prandecki said.
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MOJAVE
League: Class 3A Sunset
Head coach: Andy Addison, first season
2016 record: 0-12 (0-12 Sunset, seventh)
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Poleth Rodriguez-Cardenas, Emonie Henderson, Magdalena Bednarova
Outlook: Numbers were the main problem for the Rattlers last year.
With five returning letter winners and some new faces, Mojave will be able to compete as a team this year.
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PALO VERDE
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Richard Coop, first season
2016 record: 18-0 (12-0 Northwest, first)
Returning letter winners: Fourteen
Top athletes: Isabella Shelton (Sr.), Shelby Graber (Jr.), Kaya Richardson (Jr.), Caroline Hsu (So.)
Outlook: The Panthers return 14 letter winners after winning their third consecutive state title last season.
“Palo Verde is excited about the upcoming season,” Coop said. “We are looking forward to the new challenge of the 2017 season and are taking it one match at at time.”
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RANCHO
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Peter Cernak, first season
2016 record: 9-7 (3-5 Northeast, fourth)
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Anakaren Martinez (Jr.), Audrey Arnold (Sr.), Elizabeth White (Sr.)
Outlook: Cernak takes over a team that returns five letter winners.
“The Rams have several returning players who are looking to lead the team through our regular-season matches and into the playoffs,” Cernak said. “Beyond becoming better at playing tennis, the girls are also hoping to improve their grit, zest, optimism, and teamwork abilities to improve as players, students, and people.
“These student-athletes are expected to maintain high grades in their magnet programs, be dedicated to consistent practice, put forth their best effort in all they do, and act as role models both on and off the court.”
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SIERRA VISTA
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Keith Ulrich, third season
2016 record: 4-9 (4-8 Southwest, fifth)
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Andrada Stanciu (Jr.), Ariana Stanciu (Fr.)
Outlook: Andrada Stanciu won the Division I-A girls singles title in 2015 and narrowly missed advancing to the Class 4A state singles tournament last year.
She has the potential to be one of the top players in the Sunset Region and state again this year.
“We expect to compete for a playoff spot,” Ulrich said.
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SILVERADO
League: Class 4A Sunrise
Head coach: Matthew Phillips, fifth season
2016 record: 0-11 (0-10 Southeast, sixth)
Returning letter winners: Nine
Top athletes: Lyric Ciarlo (Sr.)
Outlook: Ciarlo leads a group of nine returning letter winners who hope to help the Skyhawks improve this season.
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SPRING VALLEY
League: Class 4A Sunset
Head coach: Robert Bloom, 14th season
2016 record: 8-5 (8-4 Southwest, third)
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Jennifer Do (So.), Alexa Rojas (Sr.), Christina Ng (Jr.), Mandy Lu (Sr.), Ariana Ispiryan (Sr.), Rebecca Plata (Sr.)
Outlook: The Grizzlies bring back six letter winners, including four — Do (No. 3 singles), Rojas (No. 1 doubles), and Ng and Ispiryan (both No. 3 doubles) — who were starters last season.
“The team lost the top two players, and it will be hard to replace them,” Bloom said. “We’re rebuilding, but with a solid lineup.”
The Grizzlies also hope to have sophomore Nita Fitamo, a former nationally-ranked player, healthy and able to play.
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VALLEY
League: Class 4A Northeast
Head coach: Jeff Barney, second season
2016 record: 8-3 (7-1 Northeast, first)
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Annelisa Laizure (Sr.), Alexandra Jianu (Jr.), Alexandra Angelov (Jr.), Claire Angel (Jr.)
Outlook: The Vikings bring back six letter winners from a team that finished first in the Northeast League last year.
Laizure was a first-team All-Sunrise Region honoree last year, and Jianu, Angelov and Angel all earned second-team all-region honors.
“We hope to improve every day and be competitive in the new Sunrise League,” Barney said.
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VIRGIN VALLEY
League: Class 3A Sunrise
Head coach: Robert Nelson, second season
2016 record: 7-7 (6-4 Sunrise, third)
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Talia Hansen, Emma Wilson, Shandi Stiner
Outlook: The Bulldogs lost some key seniors to graduation and are hoping to recover quickly.
“This team lost a lot of leadership and is looking at building from the ground up,” Nelson said. “We are having fewer numbers coming out, but we are going to turn that into a positive by exposing existing players to more match time to build a stronger foundation for next year.”
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WESTERN
League: Class 3A Sunset
Head coach: Derek Thomas, second season
2016 record: 7-6 (7-5 Sunset, third)
Returning letter winners: Three
Top athletes: Divine Hernandez (Sr.), Alice Borja (Sr.), Alyssa Valdez (Sr.)
Outlook: From having only one player on the team in 2013 to qualifying for the Sunset Region tournament last year, the Warriors have made huge strides.
They’re hoping to continue that progress this year with three letter winners returning.
“Divine Hernandez returns as the No. 1 singles player,” Thomas said. “Divine, Alice Borja and Alyssa Valdez will have to lead the young freshmen coming and show them how to compete.”
