Jake's List: Talented underclassmen make up top returning girls tennis players in 2022
The high school girls tennis season is quickly approaching.
The first day of coaching is Aug. 1 with the regular season beginning Aug. 5. The sectional tournament begins the week of Oct. 3-8 with districts Oct. 10-15 and the state tournament Oct. 21 and 22.
Before you know it, tennis season will be heating up here in Richland County, but before it does let's take a quick look at the top five returning girls netters with the latest edition of Jake's List.
5. Noel Cline, Clear Fork
As a freshman last year, Cline won a pair of sectional tournament matches, beating Maelyn Shaarda of Willard 6-2, 6-3 and then knocked Katie Kuhn of Bucyrus out of the tournament with a 6-0, 6-1 victory. She fell to eventual sectional champ Gracie Pfieffer of Lexington 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals, meaning she was just one win away from a district tournament berth. All but one of the top four singles players in the Division II sectional tournament who qualified for districts were seniors last year so Cline has a great chance to slide in and take over this season as a sophomore.
4. McKenna Baker, Shelby
Baker was another talented freshman who earned two sectional tournament wins last season. She beat Tessa Otto of Edison 6-0, 6-1 before outlasting Clear Fork's Maddie Clark 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 to advance to the quarterfinals. She dropped her quarterfinal match 6-0, 6-0 to Summer Kennard of Willard to bring an end to a successful freshman season. Again, all but one of the four district qualifiers from the Shelby sectional were seniors so Baker has a real chance to make a run to a district tournament berth as a sophomore.
3. Evie Hostetler, Lexington
As a sophomore last year, Hostetler joined teammate Kylie Diehl as a district-qualifying doubles team. They ended up falling 6-2, 6-2 to Reese Grothaus and Emilee Bassett of Bryan, the eventual district runners-up, in their first match at the district tournament, but that didn't take anything away from what they accomplished. After a bye, the duo won their quarterfinal match before dropping their semifinal match to eventual sectional runners-up Grace Mahek and Anna Vogt of Shelby. Hostetler is back for her junior year and could join forces with another talented player for the Whippets as they look for a shot at a district tournament berth, or she could give singles a shot and possibly take advantage of a field that saw a lot of graduation last year. Regardless of her decision, expect big things on the tennis courts from Hostetler.
2. Annie Mahek, Shelby
As a freshman last season, Mahek joined forces with Mollie Eith as a district-qualifying doubles team and had a decent showing. They fell 6-0, 6-0 to Bella and Lucia Spinazze of Canton Central Catholic, the eventual district champions, in the first round of the district tournament. After an opening-round sectional bye, the duo won their quarterfinals match 6-1, 6-0 to punch their tickets to districts. Mahek was only a freshman last season and could take a similar route that Hostetler takes. She can form her own doubles super team come tournament time or she can give singles a shot. She is talented enough to excel in both.
1. Jade Adkins, Lexington
Adkins is the lone returning district qualifying singles player from Richland County. As a sophomore, she made a run to the sectional quarterfinals, beating Riley Brokaw of Clear Fork 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (2) in the opening round in a marathon match. She gained momentum from there, beating Naomi Schag of Willard 6-3, 6-1 and Lauren Schoenberger of Upper Sandusky 6-2, 6-4 to grab her spot in the district tournament. She was beaten by eventual district champion and teammate Gracie Pfieffer, who went on to win the sectional championship as an individual. At the district tournament, Adkins lost 6-0, 6-0 to Lima Shawnee's Alora Patel in the opener, bringing an end to a great sophomore season. Adkins is the lone underclassman of the four individuals who qualified for district out of the Shelby sectional, so she comes in as the early favorite to win a sectional championship and get a favorable draw when the district tournament starts.
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
Twitter: @JakeFurr11
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Jake's List: Two juniors, three sophomores make up Top 5
