SOL American race could highlight area tennis

In recent seasons, it’s been a safe bet that the tennis matches between Upper Dublin, Cheltenham and Wissahickon had a lot riding on them.

That figures to be the case again this season as the three teams look to contend for the Suburban One League American Conference title. Upper Dublin currently holds the crown, but longtime coach Carol Hackenbracht knows the Panthers and Trojans have the lineups to contend for the crown. Throw in two new teams in Quakertown and Hatboro-Horsham and there are a few new hurdles on the road to that title.

In the case of the Cardinals and Trojans, there’s a lot of youth in a lot of places, meaning both lineups look built to be good not only this year, but going forward. Wissahickon and Upper Dublin meet at Wiss on Sept. 1. Upper Dublin visits Cheltenham on Sept. 15 while Wissahickon visits the Panthers on Sept. 9.

Doubles looks to be a big strength for both Wiss and UD while both teams will have some talent in the singles lineups. UD sophomore Ksenija Tasich is back at No. 1 singles after taking second in the conference tournament last year. Joining here at No. 2 is sophomore Erin Hackett and at No. 3, freshman Skylar Richman.

The Pioneer Athletic Conference is getting two new squads in Norristown and Upper Merion and the Vikings are looking to build off last year’s 6-7 season. Four-year starter Amy Phanthavong is the team’s veteran leader in singles play. Upper Merion and Norristown join a league where Methacton has been a presence in recent seasons.

But the Warriors and coach Cathy Miller will have some major cogs to replace off last year’s PAC champ and fourth-place District I finisher. The largest gap to fill is at No. 1 singles where Mihaela Codreanu graduated after a stellar career that saw her win three straight PAC singles titles, back-to-back District I singles titles and finish second in the state as a sophomore.

Paige MacDougal, Alejandra Castaneda, Liza and Maria George are losses in the doubles lineup but Miller said last year’s JV team was successful and those players are pushing to make it a quick rebuild.

Other teams, like Abington, are hoping to return to form and in the Galloping Ghosts’ case, go after an SOL National title.

With a good mix of established players and some young but well-versed faces across the board, expect some quality tennis in the area this fall.

ABINGTON
Last Season: 7-6.
Head Coach: Kristy Ashcraft, 13th season.
Assistant Coaches: Nancy Levin and Phil Kelly.
Notable Losses: Maura Waldner, Maggie Stock, Lindsey Quigley, Lexi Merrigan.
Returning Athletes/Athletes to Watch: Ellen Ruch, Leana Perumaly, Aichatou Haidara, Colette Carosella, Chloe Barmat, Lauryn Levette, Sami Gable, Emily Goldfarb, Lily Sellei, Zora Levette, Arden Weilheimer, Megan Quigley.
Key Matches: Pennsbury, CR North, CR South.
Team Outlook/Expectations: “With lots of returning experience, hard work and talent, we are looking to reclaim the SOL National Conference Championship.”

ARCHBISHOP WOOD
Last Season: 7-1 in PCL league.
Head Coach: Bob Salembier, 12th season.
Notable Losses: Sarah Lightner league MVP.
Athletes to Watch: Freshman Jess Firriolo, junior Kylie Corless.
Key matches: at Cardinal O’hara, Bishop Carroll at Wood.
Outlook: Losing the PCL MVP is a big hole to fill at the top of the Vikings lineup but there’s a good amount of players returning and Firriolo seems ready to jump right in somewhere and contend for match wins.

METHACTON
Last Season: 17-4, 9-0 PAC-10.
Head Coach: Cathy Miller, 8th season.
Notable Loses: Mihaela Codreanu -1st Singles, Paige MacDougal -1st Doubles, Alejandra Castaneda-3rd doubles, Liza and Maria George- 4th Doubles.
Athletes to Watch: Soph. Dina Nouaime – singles, Sr. Sydnie Markowitz- Singles, Sr Amanda Amornwichet- Singles/Doubles, Sr. Katie Benson- Doubles, Sr. Sydney Thompson-Doubles and Junior Rachel Dorn- Doubles, Sophomore Tina Prince-Singles, Sr. Harleen Suri- Doubles, Freshman Karen Li- Singles.
Outlook: “Graduating 5 starters puts us in a rebuilding mode. At singles, replacing Mihaela Codreanu ( State Silver Medalist ’13, District 1 Singles Champ ’14, ’15, PAC 10 Singles Champ ’13, ’14, ’15) will be a challenge, however the returning experienced players are working hard to solidify their singles spots. The doubles teams are a work in progress. We are looking at strong players from last season’s winning JV teams as well as newcomers to step up and fill the vacant spots.”

HATBORO-HORSHAM
Head Coach: Michelle McGill, 1st season.
Assistant Coaches: Melissa Spinosa.
Notable Losses: Lost nine seniors from last year.
Athletes to Watch: Antonette Spinosa, Faith Ehrlich, Olivia Hirt.
Key Matches: Upper Moreland (Tuesday, Aug. 30) and Springfield (Thursday, Sept. 15).
Outlook: “This is a team that will be one in which a strong foundation is built from a strong group of incoming freshmen and returning players who will guide this team’s direction for years to come. The team will look to make its mark on the American League in its first year. We fully expect that these girls will develop a chemistry that will help create a competitive, yet fun, atmosphere the entire school can get behind.”

NORTH PENN
Last Season: 7-6, 5-2 SOL
Head Coach: Kristina Maxwell-Alling (2nd season)
Assistant Coaches: Renee Didomizio
Notable Losses: Leanne Bollard, Sarah Jensen
Athletes to Watch: 1st singles: Neha Velaga (freshman), 2nd singles: Karley Alling (soph), 3rd singles: Elise Hurry (soph) Returning doubles players: Erin Hurry (sr), Jess Szuchan (sr), Sara Stavely ( jr), Olivia Hauser (jr), singles players, Neha Velaga and Karley Alling Doubles players, seniors Erin Hurry and Jess Szuchan
Key Matches: Phoenixville Play for the Cure tournament Aug. 26, CB West Aug. 30, Methacton Sept. 2, CB East Sept. 14.
Outlook: “Optimistic about the season. We’ve lost two seniors (Leanne Bollard and Sarah Jensen) who were our 1st and 2nd singles players. But, we’ve got an excellent freshman playing first singles and my returning varsity players worked hard in the off-season.”

PENNRIDGE
Last Season: 10-3.
Head Coach: Frank Flanagan, 3rd season.
Assistant Coaches: Nicole Marchese.
Notable Losses: None.
Returning Athletes/Athletes to Watch: Katrina Janeczko, Ylan Phan, Victoria Hanus, Kaitlyn Harries
Key Matches: CB South, North Penn, CB West.
Outlook: “Put a competitive team out there, work hard, get some great wins, have a fun season.”

SOUDERTON
Last Season: 5-4.
Head Coach: Alexandra Aiken, first season.
Assistant Coaches: Maggie Horvath.
Team Outlook/Expectations: “I am very excited about the outlook for our season. Our team has an excellent vibe and I am confident that we will have a successful season. Our large group of seniors is helping to build a strong confident base to our season. We also have a few freshman rising to the top that are going to mix up our line up. There is a battle for our 3 singles positions going on now that hasn’t been determined yet.”

UPPER DUBLIN
Last Season: 12-1; Suburban One League American Conference champion.
Head Coach: Carol Hackenbracht
Asst. Coach: Carla DiMuzio
Notable Losses: Lauren Cheifetz, Sydney Tress
Returning Athletes and New Ones to Watch: Ksenija Tasich, Erin Hackett, Skylar Richman, Amanda Yang, Belinda Jin, Ann Liu, Lea Mangifesta and LeeAnn Raynor
Key Matches: Wissahickon and Cheltenham.
Outlook: Tasich took second in the league singles tournament as a freshman and returns as the Cardinals’ No. 1. Hackett, a sophomore and Richman, a freshman will play 2 and 3 singles. The team’s doubles lineup should be strong. Rounding out and bolstering the line-up are returning players senior Annie Steinbrink, sophomore Annabelle Laughlin, as well as freshman Jess Cheifetz.

UPPER MERION
Last Season: 6-7.
Head Coach: Phillipe David, 4th season.
Assistant Coaches: Patricia Ehret
Notable: Sara Dang, Caitlin Dwinnell.
Returning Athletes/Athletes to watch: Amy Phanthavong, Minali Tare, Sahar Islam.
Key Matches: “We are in a new league this year (the PAC) so all of our league matches will be key.”
Team Outlook/Expectations: “I am hoping that we can build on our record last year and have a better record in the league as well.” The Vikings have a four-year starter in Phanthavong at No. 1 singles and Tare and Islam will step into the No. 2 and 3 spots respectively.

UPPER MORELAND
Last Season: 4-6
Head Coach: Kristin Summers, 2nd season
Athletes to Watch: Jocelyn Curet, Zoe Wolfenson, Hannah Stainback
Outlook: “We graduated 7 players last year. This season is a rebuilding one. Our team is young and our players are enthusiastic and ready for the season.”

WILLIAM TENNENT
Last Season: 5-8
Head Coach: Molly Leahy, 11th season.
Assistant Coaches: John Senske, Jerry Nagahashi.
Notable Losses: Six seniors who graduated.
Returning athletes/Athletes to Watch: Junior Erica Adamczyk, Sophomores Sarah Glass and Zoe Khodak, and Freshmen Taylor Weidman and Elisa Steinhardt.
Key Matches:  Hatboro Horsham Sept. 8 and Upper Moreland Sept. 29.
Outlook: “We’re excited to have a great turn-out from our 9th graders, and we have several sophomores who really worked on their game in the off-season. The new conference for us means we will play new teams, so there is a lot of change this season.”

WISSAHICKON
Last Season: 12-4
Head Coach: Mary Ellen Devlin, 9th season
Key Returning Players: sophomores Julia Friedenberg and Jenny Landells, juniors Rachel Flame,Samantha Sullivan, and Lauren Kang, and seniors Sasha Iakimenko, Emily Richmond and Alycia Lee who will round out the Doubles.
Outlook: “With key singles positions and top doubles roles assumed by underclassmen Wissahickon’s young squad looks promising. Last year’s league loss to rival Upper Dublin and talented Cheltenham team promises to be interesting as a young squad acquired experience which will be key to this season’s success.”

Top Photo:  North Penn High School tennis coach Kristina Maxwell-Alling works with athletes at practice on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)