A team-by-team look at the local high school girls tennis season that began this week:
Returning first-team
Press All-Stars
Cassandra Hughes, Absegami
Christina Htay, Mainland Regional
Maddie Dennis, Mainland Regional
Alexis Allegretto, Ocean City
Arielis Martinez, Millville
Elizabeth Ong, Mainland Regional
Marlee Campbell, Mainland Regional
Fast facts
Absegami (16-6 in 2022) will partially rebuild following the graduation of first singles and first-team Press All-Star Olivia Hughes. But the Braves return Cassandra Hughes, Olivia’s younger sister, who was also a first-teamer. Absegami also has Sarina Pollino and Alyssa Bailey in singles, and Madison Band and Harshita Harshe will handle first doubles.
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Atlantic City is now in the Cape-Atlantic League National Division. The Vikings may have senior Hannah Frebowitz at first singles. A.C. has many juniors, including singles players Mia Marota and Lauren Fox. Doubles players include Maya Hernandez, Samyra Withanachchi, Johan Jinat and Taheera Withanachchi.
Barnegat has Sophia Vallerruden, Kayla Nichols and Jillian Seno at singles. Yasmeen Muhammad, Catherine Ryan, Ivy Lu and Hannah Manlulu will play doubles.
Bridgeton is in the new CAL United Division. The Bulldogs are rebuilding after losing 10 players to graduation. Sarai Torres, Yakeline Cruz-Santiago and Alexandra Zaragosa, all juniors, could be the first three singles players. Several others are competing for lineup spots, including Cristina Alavez-Perez, Karla Ortiz-Gamboa, Itzel Genis-Luna, Sahira Morales-Cruz, Tatiyonna Crawford and Yessinia Chavez-Alavez.
Buena Regional has singles players Kshema Patel, Louise Shevchenko and Kadence Cossaboon. Doubles players include Caroline Futty, Tiffany Chen, Valeria Pinedo and Amanda Martha.
Cedar Creek could be a team to watch in the CAL United Division, with freshman prospect Bryana Tigrado at first singles. Tigrado is the younger sister of 2021 graduate Cherisse Tigrado, a former Press Player of the Year. The Pirates lost their top three singles players to graduation, but have several athletic players, including Alex Ruggiero, Nicole Vargas (the only senior), Ava Ulland, Vega Figarola, Sonia Senn and Alexa Constantine. Cedar Creek has redone its courts.
Cumberland Regional returns the three Albert sisters in singles from a team that went 13-5 overall and 10-0 in the Tri-County Conference Liberty Division last fall. Senior Grace Albert looks to be first singles, and junior twins Isabella Albert and Gabriella Albert will also be in singles. Doubles players include the team of Anna Nichols and Megan Basile, and the team of Alexandra Stebbins and Diana Waterman.
Egg Harbor Township was 16-5 last year but lost five key seniors and must rebuild. The Eagles will be led mostly by underclassmen and hope to get stronger as the season progresses. Key singles players include Belina Zhang, Camille More and Demi Lu, a sophomore, freshman and junior, respectively. Doubles prospects include Lily Ferriola, Kylee Biel, Olivia Liang and freshman Makayla Henderson.
Hammonton is now in the National Division and hopes to improve. The Blue Devils return Grace Kappauf at first singles, and Laila Palmore and Emily Stanziale are also singles players. Doubles players include Abigail Penza, Julializ DeJesus, Alyssa Ellis and Mia Donio.
Holy Spirit graduated Lorena Saavedra, The 2022 Press Player of the Year, but has seven players back. Singles players look to be seniors Armani Menash, Catherine Gallagher and Mariah Nell. The lineup also has senior doubles players Sam D’Arcangelo and Teresa Pham. Veronica Nesbitt, another senior, likely will play second doubles with Olivia Malinsky. Other contributors include Jessica Kaye, Marissa Jones and Olivia Toreli.
Lacey Township will be led by seniors, including singles players Madison English, Marisa Castillo and Devin Krinic. Doubles players Charlotte Fischer, Katie Bencik and Brooke Christian are also seniors. Adriana Greene is a junior doubles player.
Lower Cape May Regional tied Middle Township for the National Conference championship in 2022 at 15-1 apiece. The Caper Tigers (18-4 overall last year) feature Maddie Gilbert, Bryn Popdan and Hailey Elwell at singles. Ainsley Reed and Jayci Shivers were first doubles last year, and they return. Kamryn Thomas and Melanie Ortiz-Moreno are likely second doubles.
Mainland Regional is the favorite in the American Division in the realigned CAL. The Mustangs (19-1 overall last fall and 16-0 American) have Christina Htay, Maddie Dennis and Samantha Goldberg back at singles and the strong doubles team of Elizabeth Ong and Marlee Campbell. Others include Lily Turner, freshman Hana Saloum, Jessica Wise and Pauline Leiderman. Mainland was ranked fifth in The Press Elite 11’s final 2022 ranking, the only area team on the list.
Middle Township split matches with Lower Cape May last as they tied for the National Conference title. The Panthers were 19-3 overall but graduated four players. Middle has singles players Maria Sakoulas, Brenna Bussinger and Fiona Gale. Doubles players include Isabella Pasciucco, Joline Abe, Ava Hope and freshman Ella Leahy.
Millville moves from the American to the National and should improve after going 7-17-1 a year ago. The Thunderbolts are led by senior Arielis Martinez, who won the Cumberland County Tournament last fall and was a first-team Press All-Star. Millville’s lineup also should include Cheyanna Snyder and Rebecca Lore, and the doubles teams of Jaslene Negron and Savanna Hadley, and Julissa Mateo and Ryleigh Sharretts.
Oakcrest has Samantha McDow, Bindiya Dave and Gabrielle Tropiano at singles. All are juniors.
Ocean City should improve with returnees Catherine Stempin and Alexis Allegretto in singles. Allegretto was a first-team Press All-Star last year. Annabelle Terruso could be third singles. In doubles the Red Raiders include Chloe Howard, Daphne Broznya, Anna Wisnefski and Cecilia Mirsky.
Our Lady of Mercy Academy, an American Division team, will try to improve after going 5-12 a year.
Pinelands Regional hopes to improve on last year’s 6-12 record and has returning starter Kiera Kaszuba as the likely first singles. Other likely contributors include singles players Olivia Ruzicka and Lena Marinello, and doubles players Abigayl Howell, Sophia Jackson, Molly Cogar and Hannah Mancuso.
Pleasantville, of the new United Division, is rebuilding but hopes to be competitive. Nasiyada Atkinson, Ayanna Hubbard and Nancy Ceballos could be the top three singles players, and Roselyn Colon is also a returnee. The doubles players, all freshmen, should be the teams of Angie Reyes and Yareni Ortiz, and Katie Lopez and Jalessa Croker
Southern Regional graduated four key players from a team that was 11-8 last fall. The Rams have Finley Gaskill, Elise Bunce and Lana Ross at singles. Rylee Guerriero, Lauren Mancine, Victoria Castaldi and Olivia Strunk are doubles players.
Vineland has senior Gianina Speranza, who could become a fourth-year starter at first singles. The Fighting Clan (19-7 last year) should do well, with Luciana Day, Blake Harris, Trista Suppi and Kasvi Patel back. Freshman Kaitlyn Jones will likely play second doubles with junior Zamiya Borgese.
Wildwood has Charlie Cunningham back at first singles and Charlotte Kilian returning at second singles. Cydnee Kilian, Charlotte’s sister, is at third singles. Doubles players include sisters Sophia and Angela Wilber, Estella Robinson and Jessica Johnson.
Wildwood Catholic should be competitive in the CAL United Division after going 9-6 in the National last fall. Jamie Bogle, Evie McNicholes and Joanna McShaffry could be the three singles players. Doubles teams look to be Maura Bean and Isabella Smith, and Bella Frey and Rebecca Arcuri.
New coaches
Tommy Bellezi, Ocean City
Eileen Fortis, Mainland Regional
Three notable matches
Mainland Regional at Vineland, Sept. 14
Cedar Creek at Holy Spirit, Sept. 19
Middle Township at Lower Cape May Regional, Sept. 29
KEY DATES
Sept. 5: Regular season opened
Set. 20: Shore Conference Tournament begins
Oct. 3: Sectional tournament seeding
Oct. 5: Enrollment Groups II, IV and South Jersey Non-public teams first round
Oct. 6: Enrollment Groups I, III and North Jersey Non-public teams first round
Oct. 7: Individual singles tournament first and second rounds and doubles tournament first round at Mercer County Park and Veterans Park
Oct. 8: Individual singles tournament third and fourth rounds at Mercer County Park and doubles tournament second and third rounds at Veterans Park
Oct. 14: Individual singles and doubles tournament quarterfinals and semifinals at Mercer County Park
Oct. 15: Individual singles and doubles tournament finals at Mercer County Park
Oct. 17: Public and Non-Public enrollment groups teams sectional finals
Oct. 19: Public enrollment groups state semifinals and Public and Non-Public enrollment groups state finals at Mercer County Park
Oct. 24: Cape-Atlantic League Tournament begins
Oct. 28: South Jersey Coaches Invitational
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