With the COVID-19 pandemic having wiped out all of last spring’s girls tennis season, most area teams will be dealing with inexperience this year.
Here is a look at those teams as they head into the 2021 season:
Columbus North
The Bull Dogs are one area team that has plenty of experience. They still have three varsity players from the 2019 team that qualified for the state tournament, plus a promising freshman that has vast junior tournament experience.
“We were disappointed that we didn’t get to play last year,” North coach Kendal Hammel. “We had quite a few strong players with a lot of depth. Moving forward to this year, the girls are all excited. The makeup of what would have been the team from last year to this year is totally different.”
Junior Ashlie Wilson played No. 1 singles as a freshman. But she could be pushed for that spot by her sister, freshman Kathryn Wilson. Whichever doesn’t play No. 1 singles will be at No. 2 singles.
“Unless it’s one of the high-level teams in the state, we’re going to be up 2-0 right off the bat,” Hammel said.
Senior Jaline Tay and junior Tiffany Fu have played No. 3 singles and both doubles spots during their high school careers. Hammel is leaning toward pairing them at No. 1 doubles
“I’m putting a lot into those three spots,” Hammel said. “Beyond that, at 3 singles and 2 doubles, I’m going to have all new players. They’re going to get experience as the season goes, and they’re going to get better.”
Battling for those No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles positions are juniors Sydney Cooper, Leah George, Arya Gotoh, Anushka Nair and sophomores Zoe Bishop and Siri Poludasu.
Columbus East
The Olympians will be largely inexperienced this season with only two players returning from the 2019 varsity.
“They’re working hard,” East coach Matt Malinsky said. “We have a lot of inexperienced players, so they’re trying to put in a lot of work to make up for lost time. It’s especially tricky because we didn’t have a season last year.”
Senior Ayano Nomura, who played No. 1 doubles, likely will move up to No. 1 singles. Junior Cathrine Millwood, who played No. 2 doubles as a freshman, likely will be at No. 2 singles. Sophomore Katie Hong steps in at No. 3 singles.
Seniors Cassidy Schnur and Monica Burton and sophomores Shruthika Kumar, Katey Rieckers and Ruth Federle are battling for the four doubles spots.
“They’re all very athletic, some more experienced than others,” Malinsky said. “But they’re working hard to learn quickly, and hopefully, they can pick up the techniques they need. I think there will be some growing pains as far as how to play matches. Just learning how to play is tough enough, and then when you throw in how to strategize, that’s difficult. They’re working hard, and I expect they’re going to make good improvements.”
Hauser
The Jets return two players who were varsity regulars in 2019.
“To say we are excited to have our girls season is an understatement,” Hauser coach Molly Crabtree said. “We have 17 girls total on our team. Nine of those are freshmen, so we are excited about the present and future of Hauser tennis.”
Junior Andie Clark, who played No. 3 singles as a freshman, moves up to No. 1 singles. Senior Kaitlynn Everroad and freshman Bella Kilps take over at No. 2 and No. 3 singles.
Seniors Aunaka Wasil, who played No. 2 doubles in 2019, will team with senior Emily Harker at No. 1 doubles. Sophomore Charlie Clark and junior Gabby Johns step in at No. 2 doubles.
“We know we will be competitive in our (Mid-Hoosier) conference,” Crabtree said. “They are athletic girls, and we are practicing great and are ready for the season.”
Jennings County
Panthers coach Deron Brown returns his daughter, junior Reagan Brown, and has added another daughter in freshman Tatum Brown, and those two will be at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.
Senior Faith Heaton could step in at No. 3 singles. Senior Carmen Kopitzke, who played some No. 3 singles in 2019, likely will play doubles.
Senior Liz Ertel, who played No. 1 doubles, and senior Sydney Carson, who also saw some action in 2019, could be back at No. 1 doubles. Seniors Cassidy Mull and Hannah Green also could play doubles.
“We’re old and mature, but not necessarily experienced,” Deron Brown said. “I think once we get our doubles all lined up and fixed, they will improve throughout the year. Tatum will get better throughout the year, and Reagan looks like she just wants to go out and beat people, so I’m happy to see that.”
Brown County
The Eagles will be young with only one senior in the lineup.
That senior, Julia Williams, played No. 2 singles in 2019 and could move up to No. 1 singles. Freshmen Anna Stogsdill and Anna Tipton and sophomore Londyn Koester are battling for the other two singles spots
Juniors Abie Bowman and Mattie Satter likely will play No. 1 doubles. Junior Kylie Workman, sophomores Katie Tipton and Mary Rygiel and freshman Julia Burt are vying for the other doubles positions.
“We have a good, quality set of players, nice attitudes,” Brown County coach Thom Miller said. “We have a lot of depth, but I think we’re like everybody else. We’re behind where we would normally be because we didn’t get that year of development last year. I’m sure we’re all going to feel that across the nation, actually, and here locally.”
Edinburgh
The Lancers will be the first area team to play when they travel to Madison today.
Senior Annelise Lollar, who played No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles in 2019, and junior Bethany Burton, who played No. 2 doubles, are battling for the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots. Junior Peyton Bryant, who played No. 2 doubles, will be at No. 3 singles or No. 1 doubles.
Junior Alyssa Funkhouser, who played JV as a freshman, will be at No. 3 singles or No. 1 doubles. Freshmen Jessica Walsh and Zoey Sida and sophomore Gracie Myers will be at the other doubles spots.
“With the more experienced players, they’re very competitive,” Edinburgh coach Rachel O’Brien said. “For the freshmen girls, this is pretty much their beginning of playing tennis, so we need a lot of practice with the fundamentals and the basic shots. But the freshman have a lot of potential, and with the practice, they’ll improve throughout the season.”
Trinity Lutheran
The Cougars have a new coach in Julie Lemming, a former player at Centerville High School.
Lemming’s daughter, junior Sarah Lemming, who played No. 1 and No. 2 singles as a freshman, will play No. 1 singles. Junior Ragen Cain, who played No. 3 singles in 2019, will be at No. 2 singles, and seniors Katelyn Mensendiek and Bekah Brown likely will move up from No. 2 doubles to No. 1 doubles
“The rest of our team are what I could call emerging players,” Julie Lemming said. “We have freshmen who have never picked up a racket before, but are winning in challenge matches. It’s pretty promising.”
Senior Erin Enzinger who played JV in 2019, is battling with freshmen Drew Hubbard, Kiley Zabel, Addison Bumbleburg and Kate Mau for the No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles spots.
The 2021 girls tennis schedules for Bartholomew County teams:
Columbus East
Saturday;at New Albany;10 a.m.
Tuesday;Edinburgh;5 p.m.
Wednesday;Bloomington North;6 p.m.
April 9;Brown County;4:30 p.m.
April 12;at Columbus North;4:30 p.m.
April 13;at Shelbyville;5:30 p.m.
April 15;Seymour;4:45 p.m.
April 19;at Greensburg;5 p.m.
April 20;Whiteland;5 p.m.
April 22;Madison;5 p.m.
April 26;Jennings County;5 p.m.
April 27;at Franklin;5 p.m.
April 29;at Greenwood;5 p.m.
May 3;Bedford North Lawrence;5:30 p.m.
May 5;East Central;5 p.m.
May 6;at Batesville;5:15 p.m.
May 10;Jeffersonville in HHC Tournament;5 p.m.
May 12;HHC Tournament at TBA;5 p.m.
May 14;HHC placement round;5 p.m.
Columbus North
Tuesday;Center Grove;5:30 p.m.
April 9;at Seymour;5 p.m.
April 10;at Floyd Central Inviational;9 a.m.
April 12;Columbus East;4:30 p.m.
May 13;Floyd Central;5 p.m.
April 16;at Jeffersonville Invitational;7 p.m.
April 17;at Jeffersonville Invitational;9 a.m.
April 19;at Bloomington North;6 p.m.
April 22;Southport;5:30 p.m.
May 1;at Avon Invitational;8:30 a.m.
May 3;vs. Terre Haute South (at Bloomington North);5:45 p.m.
May 4;at Bloomington South;6 p.m.
May 7;at Terre Haute North;6 p.m.
May 11;at Carmel;5:30 p.m.
May 15;at North Central Invitational;9:30 a.m.
Hauser
Monday;vs. Oldenburg Academy (at Batesville);5:30 p.m.
April 6;Jennings County;5 p.m.
April 8;at Greensburg;5 p.m.
April 10;at Brown County;5 p.m.
April 15;at Edinburgh;4:30 p.m.
April 17;Batesville;9 a.m.
April 19;Morristown;5 p.m.
April 20;at Rushville;5 p.m.
April 22;at Waldron;4:30 p.m.
April 26;at Madison;5:30 p.m.
April 29;at Trinity Lutheran;5:30 p.m.
May 3;at Indianapolis Lutheran;4:30 p.m.
May 6;at Eastern Hancock;5 p.m.
May 10;Shelbyville;4:30 p.m.
May 11;Indian Creek;4:30 p.m.
May 13;Southwestern (Shelby);4:30 p.m.
May 15;MHC Tournament at TBA;9 a.m.
May 18;Triton Central;4:30 p.m.
