2019 Mercury-Area Girls Tennis Preview

Daniel Boone
Coach: Ryan Burke, first year.
Last year’s record: 3-5 Berks Conference, 10-6 overall.
Players to watch: Abbey Cleaver, Sr., singles; Mallory Barndt, Jr. singles; Jordyn Houck, So., singles; Megan Burns, singles; Amanda Johnson, singles; 
Rachael Haag, Sr.; Paige McDonald, Sr.; Jamie Moser, Sr.; Dominique Viola, Sr.; Abbey Cleaver, Jr.; Mallory Barndt, So.; Jordyn Houck, Fr.; Megan Burns, singles; Amanda Johnson, singles; Kate Tokash, doubles; Sarah Young, doubles.
Outlook: Burke takes over the Blazer program from Garry Lucas, who headed the team for seven seasons. … Boone is off to a good start for 2019, going 2-1 against a trio of Berks opponents. It edged Twin Valley in a divisional match, 4-3, and Brandywine Heights in its opener, also 4-3. … Team is restocking after the loss of three from last season’s top five.

Hill School
Coaches: Dan Knopp. first year and Ira Watts, 11th year.
Last year’s record: 1-4 Mid-Atlantic Prep League, 9-9-1 overall.
Players to watch: Tyne Miller, fifth former., singles; Joyce Sun, sixth former, singles; Melissa Xu, sixth former, singles; Elena Zhang, sixth former, singles; Mofe Akinyanni, singles.
Outlook: Knopp arrived at The Hill in 2019 following a lengthy tenure at Phelps School (Malvern) where he was head tennis coach from 1995 until 2012.  ,,, Avi Vemuri joins the coaching staff as an assistant. … The singles ladder is shaping up as Miller, Sun, Xu, Zhang and Mofe Akinyanni from one to five. … “The outlook for Hill’s 2019 girls’ tennis looks very promising,” Knopp said. “Most players have varsity experience from last year; and of the 12 varsity players, seven are seniors. This senior leadership is also greatly complemented by our co-captains, Joyce Sun and Melissa Xu. The rest of the team is still being determined by challenge matches and quality of character displayed both on and off the court. We look to compete for the championship in 2019.”

Methacton
Coach:  Jill Walker, second year.
Last Year’s Record: 11-0 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 15-3 overall.
Players to Watch: Karen Li, Sr., singles; Irene Biju, singles; Katie Chang, Jr., doubles; Hannah Kim, doubles; Ashmitha Sivakumer, doubles; Amanda Wang, singles; Joanna Zhang, doubles.
Outlook: Li moves up to the first-singles slot from playing third singles last year. … “We have returning players from varsity, but no new players,” Walker said. “Everyone has just moved up from last year. It will be a rebuilding year as we lost many of our top players from last season. however, we are hoping that some of our seasoned returning varsity players from last year will hold up to the challenge of moving up the ladder.”

Norristown
Coach: Audrey Dudley, second year.
Last Year’s Record: 0-11 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Players to Watch: Anna Vogel, Sr., singles; Jessica Piccari, Jr., singles; Oxiry Salas-Carmona, doubles; Rachel Poley, doubles; Andrea Ritter, Jr., singles; Divine Rodriguez, doubles; Darian White, doubles.
Outlook: Vogel will serve as the team captain. … Rodriguez and Salas-Carmona give Norristown a solid first doubles team, having been around since their freshman years. … New faces in the Eagle program are Yissette Colon Rodriguez, Marlene Flores, Candy Galena, Amy Hernandez, Paige Kay-Conway, Britney Palacios, Rachel Poley, Sandy and Stephanie Sanchez, Ailcia Skipwith and Maryam Taylor. … “The 2019-2020 girls is on the rise,” Dudley said. “The team opens this season with newly renovated courts. Long gone are the worn courts and hot surface, ushered in are Eagle blue and white courts to highlight the play of the enthusiastic Eagles. Norristown girls tennis has turned the corner with new courts, new players and a renewed Norristown Proud spirit.”

Owen J. Roberts
Coach: Jerry Styer, 21st year.
Last year’s record: 9-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 10-2 overall.
Players to watch: Paige Bedronski, Sr., doubles; Alexis Carr, Sr., doubles; Sierra Everett, Sr., doubles; Claire Feltenberger, Sr., doubles; Maria Monteleone, Sr., doubles; Lien Nguyen, Sr., singles; Talia Zuch, Sr., doubles; Allie Iyoob, Jr., doubles; Kendall Obara, Jr., doubles; Lilly Quinn, Jr., doubles; Cara Semach, Jr., singles; Jordan Sylvia, Jr., doubles; Sonya Soeder, So., singles.
Outlook: The list of Wildcat departures is headed by Jacey Caplan and Elaina Lee, who won the PAC Doubles Tournament. … Everett is a transfer student from Pottstown, where she played singles last year. … “Having graduated seven varsity players last year,” Styer said, “we are rebuilding. We are carrying 40-plus girls, including eight freshman who are eager to play the game. Other contending teams have also graduated serious players and are also rebuilding. it should be a different, but interesting, season!”

Perkiomen School
Coach: David Pandl, first year.
Last year’s record: Not available.
Players to watch: Julia Kelly, Sr., singles; Kate Galant, singles; Sara Oswald, Jr., doubles; Lucy Wang, Jr., doubles; Yibau Wang, Jr., doubles; Helena Balzer, So., singles; Abirmi Chinnakaruppen, So., singles; Marie Rudolf, So., singles; Emma Shultz, So., singles.
Outlook: “Perkiomen’s 1,2 and 3 singles players are very strong this year, anchored by sensational senior Julia Kelly at the number 1 spot,” Pandl said. “I’ve yet to determine numbers 2 and 3, but expect there will be solid competition among new players Abirimi Chinnakaruppan, Marie Rudolf, Emma Shultz, Helena Baizer and last year starter Kate Galant. Our doubles players will include a few players from above who do not start at singles, as well as Lucy Wang, Yibau Wang and Sara Oswald. We expect to be very competitive again this year.”

Perkiomen Valley
Coach: Jennifer Dixon, 17th year.
Last year’s record: 9-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 10-4 overall.
Players to watch: Olivia Newman, Sr., doubles; Emily Shoemaker, Sr., doubles; Nadja Townsend, Sr., singles. 
Outlook: Townsend will be the Vikings’ top singles player while Newman and Shoemaker occupy the first doubles slot. … Townsend was in the Final Eight of the 2018 PAC Singles Tournament, qualifying for the fifth-place playbacks. … “Perkiomen Valley expects to have good depth and continue to make progress at staying in the top three this season,” Dixon said. “We have had a large turnout of girls in the past two years, bringing us some good talent to work with.”

Phoenixville
Coach: Summer Landis, first year.
Last year’s record: 7-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 8-8 overall.
Players to watch: Peyton Carr, Sr.; Maddie Lane, Sr.;  Michelle Richter, Sr.
Outlook: Landis, an assistant coach at Phoenixville the past five years, takes over the helm of the program from Katie Yancik. … Carr, Lane and Richter are all returning varsity performers for the Phantoms. … “We’re looking forward to another great season,” Landis said.

Pope John Paul II
Coach: Sue McDonough, second year.
Last year’s record: 6-5 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Players to watch: Emmaline Aman, Sr.; Maggie Christianson, Sr., singles; Ally Trust, Sr.; Veronica Marinari, Jr., singles.
Outlook: Marinari figures to be the Golden Panthers’ first-singles player. … “We graduated a large portion of our Varsity last year,” McDonough said, “but our dedicated players have been working hard to improve their games. Many are stepping up to fill those positions, as well as the addition of a few new strong players joining our tennis family will help strengthen our roster.  We are hoping to grow as a team and find continued success.”

Pottsgrove
Coach: Gus Tellis, ninth year, 
Last year’s record: 5-6 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 8-6 overall.
Players to watch: Jaelyn Kennedy, Sr., singles; Mya Krueger, Sr., singles; Grace Myers, Jr., singles; Kyla Hutchinson, doubles; Paige Lang, doubles.
Outlook: “This year’s team is well seasoned, and poised for a very rewarding tennis campaign,” Tellis said. “Our numbers are low, but our spirits are High. Leading our team is captain Krueger at first singles. Jaelyn Kennedy has improved greatly and will be in the singles mix. Grace Myers has made big strides in improving her overall skill set and should be in the singles mix. First doubles has Kyla Hutchinson and Paige Lang returning with lots of experience, and camaraderie. Who will be our next player surprise, we will have to wait and see.”

Pottstown
Coach: Lauren Bralski, second year.
Last year’s record: 1-10 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Players to watch: Abby Parson, Sr., singles; Naomi Parson, So., singles; Lily Fetterman, singles; CyeNyla Hall, doubles; Megan Robie, doubles; Emily Plowfield, doubles; Destiny Williams, singles.
Outlook: The Trojans will again be thin in numbers, with about seven players on the roster. They had one member of 2018’s team, Sierra Everett, transfer to Owen J. Roberts. … “Pottstown is excited to have new players to join the ranks,” Bralski said. “With the addition of a middle school team this year, we will continue to focus on expanding and strengthening the Pottstown tennis team.”

Spring-Ford
Coach: Todd Reagan, 16th year.
Last year’s record: 10-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 14-2 overall.
Players to watch/returners: Casey Goldstein, Sr.; Emma Griffin, Sr.; Hannah Sharkey, Sr.; Lauren Tang , Sr.; Breanna Weigelt, Sr.; Lucy Olsen, Jr.; Isabel Mejia, So. 
Outlook: Reagan will be aided in his coaching duties by longtime assistant Devon Staino (11 years) and newcomer Karen Canuso. … “The Rams return seven players from last year’s district qualifying team,” Reagan said. “Although they will need to replace some graduates from the top of the ladder, the girls are determined to work hard and try to solidify themselves as a top team in the league, and a potential district qualifier as a team.”

Upper Merion
Coach: Eric Bowe, third year.
Last year’s record: 3-8 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 4-10 overall. 
Players to watch: Rhea Desai, Sr.; Moira Ryan, Sr.
Outlook: “Last year, we graduated three seniors,” Bowe said. “This year, we have 12 seniors and are very deep through doubles. We also have some new players that have inserted themselves into the varsity lineup. I think we will surprise a lot of people this year with just how strong we are, as we make a push to compete in the PAC this year. It should be a fun final year for a lot of these girls, as we hope to send several of them to district competition at the end of the season.”

Upper Perkiomen
Coach: John Williamson, 11th year.
Last year’s record: 4-7 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 6-8 overall.
Players to watch: Skyler Gionfriddo, Sr., singles; Maddy Gochnauer, Sr., singles; Carly Jenkins, Sr., singles/doubles; Shelby Livingstone, Sr., singles/doubles; Olivia Sharadin, Sr., singles/doubles.
Outlook: Gochnauer is being looked to at first singles. First doubles could be any combination of Jenkins, Livingstone, and Sharadin. … “An experienced senior class will be looking to lead the team to a winning season,” Williamson said. “Depth throughout varsity will need to be strong to compete with the better teams in our league. Several freshmen and sophomores are looking to compete for varsity doubles spots.”