2012 ALL-NORTH OAKLAND AREA GIRLS TENNIS: Top netters serve up winning formula
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
Another exceptional girls tennis season is in the record books and local teams and players more than shined on the courts over the past couple of months.
Five local teams qualified for one of the four state finals — Clarkston (Division 1), Troy (Division 1), Rochester Adams (Division 1), Holly (Division 2) and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (Division 4) with several others just missing the state cut by only a few points.
Clarkston added another top-10 state finals finish to its long string of successful finishes, serving up the state runner-up slot in D-1 after winning a state title in 2011. Troy landed eighth in D-1, Adams was 14th in D-1, Holly claimed 14th in D-2 and Notre Dame Prep placed seventh in D-4.
On the All-State teams, four singles players and three doubles teams made their way onto those prestigious postseason lists, while several others earned All-League and All-Region honors. Additionally, two local stars also claimed state championships in their respective flights.
All of these standouts are found on the 2012 All-North Oakland Area Girls Tennis Team, selected by NOS staff in conjunction with area coaches’ opinions.
Peter Riley of Notre Dame Prep was selected as the Coach of the Year.
Below are the profiles of all of the singles players and doubles teams named to the first team:
SINGLES PLAYERS
KATIE BROZOVICH, Clarkston: Named to the first team for the third year in a row, Brozovich concluded a fine four-year prep career by finishing as the Division 1 state runner-up at No.1 singles. Leaping from No. 3 to No. 1 singles this season, Brozovich finished with a fine 26-1 record. She lost to Utica’s Davila Nguyen, 7-5, 7-5, in her state title match. Headed for Bowling Green to continue her tennis career, Brozovich was the Rochester regional champion, won several other tournaments this season, reached the semifinals of the OAA Red Division Tournament before it was cancelled due to weather and earned All-State First Team and All-OAA Red Division status. She lost only four matches in her stellar high school career.
LEXI BAYLIS, Clarkston: Two years competing at No. 2 singles for the talented Wolves and Baylis has captured two state titles. Finishing with a perfect 24-0 record as a sophomore after going 28-0 as a freshman, the All-OAA Red Division and All-State First Team selection won the Holly Red & White Invite, Ann Arbor Pioneer Quad and Rochester regional titles among her long list of accomplishments. Her state title run included a 6-0, 6-1 sweep of Port Huron Northern’s Allie Sweeney in the state championship match. She will likely play No. 1 singles next season as the Wolves will graduate several players.
PAIGE OLSEN, Clarkston: After playing No. 1 doubles as a freshman, Olsen began the 2012 season at the same flight before being shipped over to No. 3 singles. Olsen responded by posting a 20-4 record which included an upset over top-seeded Lizzie Brozovich of Port Huron Northern in the state championship match (4-6, 6-4, 6-1). Olsen reached the semifinals at the league tournament before it was called and captured the Rochester regional crown among her multiple accomplishments.
AMANDA GUO, Troy: This sophomore was part of a youth movement this season for the Colts, who finished eighth at the Division 1 state finals. The All-OAA Red Division selection at No. 1 singles finished as the Grosse Pointe South regional runner-up before falling in the Round of 16 to Rochester Adams’ Halle Hyman at the Division 1 state finals (6-2, 6-0).
HALLE HYMAN, Rochester Adams: A transfer before her freshman season, Hyman turned out to be a large blessing in disguise for the Highlanders, who ended up finishing 14th at the Division 1 state finals and a fine 10-4-1 in dual matches. Playing No. 1 singles for a young team, Hyman finished a fine 26-3 with her three losses coming to Clarkston’s Brozovich (twice) and fellow all-state selection Hailey Barrett of Grand Ledge. An All-OAA White Division and All-State First Team honoree, Hyman won the OAA White Division title after going undefeated in league play. She was also champion at the Romeo, North Farmington and Birmingham Seaholm tournaments, finished second at the Rochester regional and reached the state quarterfinals at the D-1 state tournament where she lost to the aforementioned Barrett (6-3, 0-6, 6-3).
MARLA SEAVER, Rochester Adams: This sophomore dropped down from No. 1 to No. 2 singles but that move didn’t force her to skip a beat. She posted a fine 25-4 record this season and now has a two-year record of 35-10. The All-OAA White Division honoree was the league champion, captured the North Farmington tournament title, finished second at both the Seaholm Invitational and Rochester regional and was third at the Romeo Tournament. At the D-1 state finals, Seaver advanced to the Round of 16 before falling to Ann Arbor Huron’s Lucy Jiang (6-3, 6-4).
BRIANA RODRIGUEZ, Holly: This senior made the leap to No. 1 singles and finished above five-hundred despite playing a tough schedule against many highly-regarded players. Helping her squad finish 14th at the state finals and second at both the Holly regional and Flint Metro League tournament, Rodriguez was named to the All-FML Second Team in her flight. She was the league runner-up and a semifinalist at the Holly regional among her top finishes.
LISA SAVAGIAN, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep: A four-year varsity performer, Savagian slid over into the No. 1 singles flight this season and helped the Fighting Irish enjoy perhaps its best season in school history. Finishing 20-6, Savagian was a semifinalist at the CHSL A-B League Tournament and also finished second at the Almont regional. She was upset in the first round at the Division 4 state tournament by North Muskegon’s Ginny Hoch.
DOUBLES
DANA OLSEN-OLIVIA DUNN, Clarkston: Clarkston coach Becky Freeman made several changes to the Wolves’ lineup in early April and this pairing turned out to be a brilliant move. Nearly a perfect fit, the All-OAA Red Division and All-State First Team duo posted a fine 23-2 record. They were league semifinalists, won the Rochester regional title and eventually captured the No. 1 doubles state title at the D-1 state tournament as the No. 2 seed. They defeated Port Huron Northern’s Alexis Wertz and Fran Basha in the finals (6-2, 6-2). Olsen, who also played No. 1 doubles as a freshman, was a sophomore this past season, while Dunn was a senior. Dunn also earned All-Area First Team honors in skiing as well.
CHARLENE COUTTEAU-ALEX MARTIN, Rochester Adams: Adams shuffled around it doubles lineup this season and this duo of seniors thrived atNo.1 doubles. The All-OAA White Division honorees reached the league semifinals and also advanced to the semis at the Rochester regional. At the Division 1 state meet, they reached the Round of 16.
KALLIE COLLINS-TONYA MALYARENKO, Troy: Made up of a senior (Malyarenko) and a junior (Collins), this tandem joined forces to become one of the area’s premier doubles teams. Named to the All-OAA Red Division and All-State First Team, they were league semifinalists before the league meet was called and also finished as the Grosse Pointe South regional runner-up. At the Division 1 state finals, they participated as the No. 3 seed at No. 1 doubles but were upset in the quarterfinals by Claudia Ma and Mackenzie Powers of Northville (6-4, 6-2).
AUDREY CRIMMINS-VICTORIA SKUBIK, Holly: Paired together at the beginning of the season for the first time, this duo finished above five-hundred mark. Crimmins, a senior, and Skubik, a junior, earned All-FML First Team status after winning the league meet and Holly regional titles. They departed the Division 2 state tournament in the Round of 16 after losing to Zeeland West’s Beth Thomas and Katelyn Forbes (6-1, 6-1).
DANIELLE MULLIS-HANNAH PREUSS, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep: This duo made history at NDP, becoming the first doubles team in school history to earn All-State First Team status. Together they were semifinalists at the CHSL A-B league tournament, finished second at the Almont regional and advanced to the Division 4 state semifinals at No. 1 doubles before being ousted by Ann Arbor Greenhills’ Sarah McIntosh and Rae Schueller in a three-set marathon (6-2, 4-6, 6-3).
COACH OF THE YEAR
PETER RILEY, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep: In 14 years of coaching tennis at the school, Notre Dame Prep never had a season quite like 2012. The Fighting Irish finished a fine 10-1-0, including 3-0-0 in the CHSL-AA Division. They were second at the Almont regional behind eventual state champion Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart, placed fifth at the Troy Athens tournament, fifth at the CHSL A-B Tournament, won the Goodrich Invitational and ended the year an all-time best seventh at the Division 4 state finals after finishing 12th the year before. Notre Dame Prep accomplished all of this with only two seniors on its roster.
2012 ALL-NORTH OAKLAND GIRLS TENNIS TEAM
FIRST TEAM-SINGLES
Katie Brozovich Clarkston Senior
Lexi Baylis Clarkston Sophomore
Paige Olsen Clarkston Sophomore
Halle Hyman Rochester Adams Freshman
Marla Seaver Rochester Adams Sophomore
Amanda Guo Troy Sophomore
Briana Rodriguez Holly Senior
Lisa Savagian Pont. Notre Dame Prep Senior
FIRST TEAM-DOUBLES
Dana Olsen Clarkston Sophomore
Olivia Dunn Clarkston Senior
Tonya Malyarenko Troy Senior
Kallie Collins Troy Junior
Audrey Crimmins Holly Senior
Victoria Skubik Holly Junior
Charlene Coutteau Rochester Adams Senior
Alex Martin Rochester Adams Senior
Danielle Mullis Pont. Notre Dame Prep Sophomore
Hannah Preuss Pont. Notre Dame Prep Freshman
COACH OF THE YEAR
Hannah Preuss Pont. Notre Dame Prep Freshman
HONORABLE MENTION-SINGLES
Auburn Hills Avondale: Fallon Richie, sr. (No. 1); Amy Swanson (sr.(No. 2); Clarkston: Abby Hubgresen, jr. (No. 4); Clarkston Everest Collegiate Collegiate- Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes Unified: Emma Dietz, fr. (No. 1); Holly: Misty Gerecke, sr. (No. 2); Natalie clink,
soph. (No. 3); Lake Orion: Lou Debis, fr. (No. 1);
Ortonville Brandon: Heidi Fluck, sr. (No. 1); Dani Richards,
jr. (No. 2); Pontiac: De’Ja Jones, sr. (No. 1);
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep: Annie Boniface, soph. (No. 2);
Kayla Stencel, fr. (No. 3); Erin Moncrieff, jr. (No. 4);
Rochester: Rachel Parker, jr. (No. 1); Kirsten Buczkowski,
sr. (No. 2); Stephanie Handley, sr.(No. 3); Rochester Adams:
Victoria Morin, soph. (No. 3); Kate Cenko, jr. (No. 4);
Rochester Stoney Creek: Alex Felix, soph. (No. 1); Rachel
Cannon, sr.(No. 2); Troy: Lilian Laing, sr. (No. 2); Abbey
Rice, fr. (No. 3); Brittany Friesen, fr. (No. 4); Troy
Athens: Iris Su, jr. (No. 1); Sanjana Kulkarni, sr. (No. 2).
HONORABLE MENTION-DOUBLES
Auburn Hills Avondale: Nicole Hermiz, (No. 1); Sara Mulders, jr. (No. 1); Dani Anticuar, sr. (No. 2); Karen Nixon, sr. (No. 2); Clarkston: Amy Wazniak, sr. (No. 2); Allie Wilson, sr. (No. 2); Holly: Felicia Doolin, sr. (No. 2); Tabitha Steigerwald, sr. (No. 2); Lake Orion: Henna Ma, soph. (No. 1); Nadia Minart, soph. (No. 1); Rochester Adams: Cathy Weng, jr. (No. 2); Christine Wang, jr. (No. 2); Troy: Shruthi Chandra, sr. (No. 2); Morgan Zander, sr. (No. 2); Anna Chung, soph.(No. 3); Katie Forche, soph. (No. 3); Troy Athens: Liz Yang, jr. (No. 1); Morgan Purvis, jr. (No. 1);
To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com . Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and more than a dozen other social media networks.
FOR MORE TENNIS COVERAGE: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=Tennis&x=13&y=4
Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com.
Category: All Area Teams, Auburn Hills Avondale, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Holly, Lake Orion, Most Recently Updated Stories, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Rochester Stoney Creek, Stats / Area Leaders, Top Stories, Troy, Troy Athens, Uncategorized, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
