Wallkill girls looking to repeat tennis title

By Mike Zummo
Posted 9/7/22

Even if their record didn’t necessarily show it, last season was a strong one for the Wallkill girls’ tennis team.

Despite the Panthers’ 3-6 record, they were the Mid Hudson …

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Wallkill girls looking to repeat tennis title

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Even if their record didn’t necessarily show it, last season was a strong one for the Wallkill girls’ tennis team.

Despite the Panthers’ 3-6 record, they were the Mid Hudson Athletic League large-school champion and advanced to the Section 9 team tournament. Most of the team also qualified for the MHAL tennis tournament.

With a mostly senior draw, the Panthers are looking to repeat some of those accomplishments this year, after losing what coach Jennifer Gravelle called a “solid senior draw” that included Emma Nelson, Alice West, Lillie Jaffee, Kaleigh Flanagan, Penelope Rose, and Clare Egan.

Sydney Scannell will move from third singles to first singles. Marissa Dougherty and Patrice DeLices, who were both second doubles last year have moved up to first doubles. Hannah Rubenstein, Lauren DeStefano, Mia Gigliuto, Arianna Jorge-Martinez, Zacharia Williams and Vanity Nieves-Cook will return to the Panthers’ lineup.

Anna O’Brien, Amy O’Malley, Miranda Padilla, Denise Martinez, Marysa Collins and Bianca Ramos will join the team.

“This year’s draw is mostly a senior class, also,” Gravelle said. “We have a fantastic work ethic and are very excited to begin.”

In the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association, Pine Bush and Valley Central are looking to build on the success of past seasons.
Pine Bush went 7-10 last year and lost Erin Lee, Hailey Forma, Rene Robertson, Taylor Sorace, and Rhadika Patil.

Megan Maragliano, Tiffany Sooksavath, Jessica Wells, Sabrina Steixner, Nikki Amataj and Rebecca Magnetico will return to the lineup as Pine Bush looks forward to being competitive and build on the success of the last four years.
Ashleigh Berentsen, Peyton Dewitt, Camryn Szabo, Juliana Cooper and Giovanna Brooks are new to the draw this year.

“We lost half of last season’s lineup to graduation but have a solid core that is looking to build on the success of last year,” Pine Bush coach Michael Sabini said. “This is a hard-working group that has its sights set on winning the county championship.”

The Vikings lost Elise Montenora and Madison Rubino from last year’s team, but return Talia Wutz, Taylor Froehlich, Autumn Strobach, Sophie Carsley, Christina Faso, Megan Mann, Elizabeth Pepaj and Angelina Vesage.

Abigayle Wilson, Madison Sherry, Gabriella Terralavoro and Serena Huang join the team this year as coach Kayleigh Guercio tries to guide her team to winning matches against good teams and getting improvement from every member of the team from the start of the season until the end.
“I have a wonderful group of girls,” Guercio said. “I am really looking forward to watching them be successful. I have a great group of seniors that have been with me for a few years. I am really looking forward to them playing their best during senior year.”