Prep Wraps
All-Area Girls Tennis: Netters serve up the right results
BY Dan Stickradt
Jul 13 2010
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
When the all-state girls tennis teams are released later this month, one can expect to find a few local players on that list. There were several area standouts that reached the state finals, state semifinals or state quarterfinals in either Division 1 or Division 2, both singles players and doubles teams, and still others that had fine seasons even without the state accolades.
There was no shortage of talented players this season, which made it difficult for coaches to select this year’s www.northoaklandsports.com All-Area squad, which is made up of 10 singles players and seven doubles units who excelled through tough competition to enjoy fine campaigns in 2010.
Below are the brief capsules of the first-team honorees.
FIRST TEAM-SINGLES
KELSEY DIETERS, Rochester: One of the state’s most dominant players the past three years, Dieters saw a string of 50 straight victories come to an end when she was upset in the Division 1 state semifinals at No. 1 singles by Grand Haven’s Hailey Barrett, the No. 4 seed who rallied for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 stunner. Dieters had not lost since the state semifinals her freshman year prior to that. This season, Dieters finished a fine 26-1, winning the Rochester Invitational, Traverse City Invitational, Ann Arbor Pioneer Invitational, OAA White Division, and Rochester regional titles along the way. She is starting to pick up vast interest from Division I colleges across the country.
“Kelsey only had one bad match this season, and unfortunately it came in the state semifinals,” said coach Jerry Murphy. “She’s a great all-around player. She won the state title as a sophomore and reached the semifinals as a freshman. You can’t win them all. She’ll come back next year and I’m sure she’ll be one of the favorites.”
BRITTANY BAXTER, Rochester: This junior has steadily improved her game and finished up her campaign at No. 2 singles with a 14-10 ledger, playing a schedule full of ranked teams and opponents. She was fifth at the Traverse City Invitational, third at the Rochester Invitational, third at the OAA White Division tournament and a semifinalist at the Rochester regional. She lost her first-round match at the state finals to M.J. Bothma of Rockford in three sets.
“Brittany is a solid player and she played some pretty tough players at No. 2 singles this year,” said Murphy. “She played, I believe, nine girls who were at the state finals and a lot of her matches went three sets this season. Win or lose, Brittany is going to battle.”
ANNE MARIE MORIN, Rochester Adams: Morin capped a brilliant senior season by winning the Division 2, No. 1 singles state crown. She finished the year 19-4, withdrew from the OAA White Division tournament with a minor injury but won the regional championship at North Farmington as the No. 3 seed. In the state tournament, she finished with a 4-0 record at the D-2 state finals, winning the crown as the No. 2 seed with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over exchange student Susi Alcarez of Wyandotte Roosevelt. Morin, who reached the state semifinals as a junior, finished a four-year career with a 66-22 record and has signed with Grand Valley State.
“She kept getting better and better and finished her career at Adams as a state champion,” said coach Greg Burks. “Her only losses were to some of the state’s best players and two of those were to (Rochester’s) Dieters. You can’t ask for a better way to end your high school career.”
GABRIELLA SPINDLER, Clarkston: Clarkston’s vaunted singles lineup finished a vaunted 75-9 between the four of them, and the Wolves’ top three singles players made the first team. Spindler anchored the singles lineup from her No. 1 slot, going a fine 20-2 with her sole losses coming to Rochester’s Dieters in the regional finals and to Grand Ledge’s Hailey Barrett in the Division 1 state quarterfinals. She was the OAA Red Division champ and also won the Holly Invitational and Grand Blanc Invitational. In the USTA circuit, Spindler is ranked sixth in the SEMTA district and 28th in the Midwest region.
KATIE BROZOVICH, Clarkston: This sophomore ran the tables until the state championship match, when she was defeated by top-seeded Andrea Calhoun of Midland Dow in three sets. She finished the year 22-1 with wins at the Rochester regional, OAA Red Division, Grand Blanc Invitational and Holly Invitational. She has a two-year record of 42-2 and is ranked third in SEMTA and 27th in the Midwest in her age group.
KRISTINA LUCAS, Clarkston: After playing No. 4 singles as a sophomore, Lucas climbed up to No. 3 singles this spring and had another fine season. She finished the year with a 21-1 record and the Division 1, No. 3 singles state championship with a 6-3, 6-4 over Sara Carlson of Novi in the finals. She was also the OAA Red Division, Holly Invitational and Grand Blanc Invitational champion and suffered her only loss in the finals at the Rochester regional. She is 41-2 over the past two seasons.
GRACE KEATING, Troy: Although Keating finished just under five-hundred, playing many of the state’s top 20 singles players, she’s by no means a pushover. She reached the semifinals of the OAA Red Division, going 1-1, and was a finalist at the Grosse Pointe South regional. She will continue her career at Division I Oakland University, and will help try to give the Golden Grizzlies a much-needed lift.
“You look at her record, and you don’t think much. But she’s still aver solid player,” said coach Dave Pietrangelo “She played some great players this season and I think she would have like to have had a better record, but she helped us reach the state finals and finish (sixth). She’s going to play in college, so not everyone gets a chance to do that.”
KELLY FORMAN, Troy: This junior finished 12-10 at No. 2 singles, again played a rigid schedule loaded with state-ranked opponents. She was a OAA Red Division semifinalist and a regional champion. She reached at the state quarterfinals in Division 1 until falling to top-seeded and eventual state champion Andrea Calhoun of Midland Dow.
“She had a pretty good year and I think she’ll be able to step right in for us at No. 1 singles next season,” said coach Pietrangelo. “
SHANNON WEN, Troy Athens: This junior only finished with a five-hundred mark coming out of the tough Oakland Activities Association, which featured multiple state qualifying teams and individuals in multiple divisions. Wen was a semifinalist at the Grosse Pointe South regional and OAA White Division tournaments. She also finished in the top four at the Port Huron tournament. She dropped straight sets to Natalie Georges of Utica Eisenhower in the first round of the Division 1, No. 1 singles state tournament.
“Shannon’s record might not reflect it, because we play a tough schedule. It’s deceiving because of all of the talent in Oakland County,” said coach Andrew Shipp. “We’re hoping she can come back stronger next year. She’s a solid player who has improved each year with us.”
THERESA ELDER, Rochester Stoney Creek: Elder departs after a strong senior season. She was a semifinalist at the competitive Rochester regional in the school’s first season in Division 1. She was also fourth at the OAA White Division tournament against multiple all-state players.
FIRST TEAM-DOUBLES
MONICA MANCINI-EMILY ELDRIDGE, Rochester Stoney Creek: This duo finished up a strong season by finishing third at the OAA White Division championships and as runners-up at the Rochester regional. Mancini is a junior and Eldridge a senior.
KATE CAMPIAN-HOPE KEATING, Troy: Consisting of Campian, a senior, and Keating, a freshmen, this unit reached the semifinals at the Grosse Pointe South regional and were fourth at the OAA Red Division tournament playing No. 1 doubles. At the D-1 state tournament, they lost in the first round in three sets to end the year 13-10.
“Like a lot of our players, they didn’t have the best record, but they beat some good teams, too,” said Pietrangelo. “They helped us get to the state (finals). I think that Hope is a good doubles player and we’ll try to develop someone to play with her next year at No. 1 doubles.”
STELLA LO-MICHELLE HWANG, Troy Athens: Athens made a return trip to the state finals this season and the duo of Lo, a senior, and Hwang, a junior, were a big part of the Red Hawks’ success. Although they lost in the first round at the state finals, they finished a fine 14-6 against stiff competition. They were runners-up at the OAA White Division, and won both the Grosse Pointe South regional and Port Huron Invitational.
“In the two years they have played together, they picked up a lot of wins,” said Shipp. “They just played well together. They always battled and they beat some pretty good doubles teams the past couple of years.”
CATIE LENICZEK-KATE BERRY, Rochester: This unit of juniors posted a 14-10 record this spring, engaging in multiple three-set thrillers. They capped the year by reaching the Division 1 state quarterfinals at No. 1 doubles before falling to Novi’s Jenna Snyder and Julia Thomas. They were also OAA White Division finalists, semifinalists at the Rochester regional, and runners-up at the Rochester Invitational.
“I think what helped our team this year was that we could get points from some of our doubles teams. These two played good together this season and did very well at the state finals, getting to the quarters,” said Murphy.
JULIE MARKIEWICZ-KELLI WETHERHOLD, Rochester: Another all-junior duo at Rochester, this group finished 17-11 on the year. They reached the Round of 16 at the Divisions 1 state finals at No. 2 doubles. They were the Rochester regional champs, solidifying the Falcons’ team runner-up slot at the regional, and lost in the finals of the OAA White Division tournament. They were also second at the Rochester Invitational and fifth at the Traverse City Invitational.
“These two really came on strong,” said Murphy. “We played such a tough schedule and by the time we got to all of the (championship) tournaments the past couple weeks of the season, they did really well.”
ALLISON CHEN-MONICA SHAH, Troy: Made up of two seniors, this unit shined bright with a 16-7 record this season at No. 2 doubles, which included a 2-1 record at the state finals. They eventually lost in the semifinals to eventual state champions Emma Easom and Heather Vogt of Saline. They were also league champs in the OAA Red Division and regional champs at Grosse Pointe South.
“They had some losses early in the year, but the second half of the season they were really on a roll,” said Pietrangelo. “
COURTNEY DUBAY-SAARIKA KETKUR, Troy: Although No. 3 doubles teams don’t normally make All-Area First Team status, Troy’s unit of these two seniors couldn’t be denied after a fine season which ended with their only loss at the state tournament. They were 22-1, winning both league and regional titles before reaching the state semifinals, where they fell to unseeded Allie Stein and Claire Welsh of Ann Arbor Pioneer. Dubay and Ketkur were the No. 1 seed heading into the state finals.
“They had a great season,” said Pietrangelo. “Their only loss was to Pioneer’s No. 3 unit, which I can’t believe wasn’t seeded. To get to the state tournament without a loss, based on the schools we played against, is a great accomplishment.”
COACH OF THE YEAR
DAVE PIETRANGELO, Troy: In his first season as head coach of the Colts, Troy put together another fine season. Troy was 2-2-5 overall, including five ties in the OAA Red Division, and finished tied for third in the final team standings in the state’s toughest league. Troy was also second at the Grosse Pointe South regional and sixth at the Division 1 state finals, one point out of fifth and two points out of fourth. The Colts were ranked as high as fifth this season and spent the entire campaign inside the Division 1 top 10.
“We didn’t have a great record in duals, but playing the teams we did made us much better at the end,” said Pietrengelo. “What does a good record do you if you can’t compete at the state finals? We had a solid lineup with a lot of seniors and I think our doubles lineup was fairly even, so we were able to get a lot of points from our doubles teams this season.
“At the state tournament, we were a win away from moving up in the finals,” he continued. “We lost a match to Saline and had we beaten them, we that would have moved a bunch of teams around and put us in the finals in one of the flights. It was that close. I am proud of this team, though. With all of these seniors, they knew this was their last chance and they ended up sixth in the state.”
2010 ALL-AREA GIRLS TENNIS TEAM
FIRST TEAM-SINGLES
Kelsey Dieters Rochester
Brittany Baxter Rochester
Anne Marie Morin Roch. Adams
Gabriella Spindler Clarkston
Katie Brozovich Clarkston
Kristina Lucas Clarkston
Grace Keating Troy
Kelly Foreman Troy
Shannon Wen Troy Athens
Theresa Elder Roch. Stoney Creek
FIRST-TEAM-DOUBLES
Monica Mancini Roch. Stoney Creek
Emily Eldridge Roch. Stoney Creek
Kate Campian Troy
Hope Keating Troy
Stella Lo Troy Athens
Michelle Hwang Troy Athens
Catie Leniczek Rochester
Kate Berry Rochester
Julie Markiewicz Rochester
Kelie Wetherhold Rochester
Allison Cheng Troy
Monica Shah Troy
Courtney Dubay Troy
Saarika Ketkur Troy
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jason Pietrangelo Troy
HONORABLE MENTIONS-SINGLES
Auburn Hills Avondale: Mary Macguire, jr. (No. 1); Clarkston: Abbey Hubregsen, fr. (No. 4); Lake Orion: Kelsey Cooper, jr. (No. 1); Rochester Adams: Victoria Morin, fr. (No. 2); Sarah Muzio, sr. (No. 4); Rochester Stoney Creek: Angela Schoenhals, fr. (No. 2); Troy: Ana Marie Nae, sr. (No. 3); Sonia Basta, sr. (No. 4); Troy Athens: Nina Lu, sr. (No. 2).
HONROABLE MENTION-DOUBLES
Auburn Hills Avondale: Lauren Doucet, sr., Sara Goodnight, jr. (No. 1);Lake Orion: Lyndsey Jackson-Abigail Martin (No. 1); Rachael Barak-Lana Malaga (No. 2); Melanie Kranker-Abigail Ulewicz (No. 3); Rochester: Leah Evanson, jr., Rachel Parker, jr. (No. 3); Rochester Stoney Creek: Kristin Hinchman, jr., Elizabeth Marcus, jr. (No. 2); Troy: Tonya Malyarenko, sr., Allison Li, sr.(No. 4).
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Last updated: Jul 13 2010 at 9:32 PM
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