|
 The 2012 edition and 41st annual IHSA Girls Tennis State Finals are slated for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 18-20. The tournament will unfold on the courts of a number of high schools (see right sidebar) throughout the northwest Chicago suburbs on Thursday and Friday, before all championship bracket matches move to the campus of first-year state final host, Buffalo Grove High School in Buffalo Grove, on Saturday. Should inclement weather force matches to be moved indoors, indoor sites will be posted on the IHSA website.
Hinsdale Central continued its dominance of girl’s high school in Illinois a year ago, as the Red Devils tallied 39 points to capture the 2011 IHSA Girls Tennis Team State Championship after finishing 11 points ahead of runner-up New Trier. The title upped the school’s state-record of first-place team trophies in the sport to 13 overall and marked the fifth championship in the last six years and eighth overall since 1999. Hinsdale Central’s title defense begins with seniors Marika Cusick and Caroline Lorenzini, who successfully defended their Doubles state title a year ago to become the sixth doubles team in state history to win two doubles crowns. The duo will now look to set themselves apart with an unprecedented third doubles championship, while junior teammate Alex Solovyev has her eyes set on the Singles title after placing third a year ago.
Lake Forest, who ended Hinsdale Central’s run of four consecutive team titles in 2010 and placed in a tie for eighth last year, looks to be a factor in 2012 behind the Zordani sisters. Junior Liz is the No. 3 seed in the Singles tournament, while freshman Christina makes up one half of the No. 4 seeded doubles team. The younger Zordani teams up with senior Maddie Lipp, who is playing in the state tourney for the third time, including as the No. 1 Singles seed in 2010 when she reached the semifinals.
2011 runner-up New Trier will be back in the team title mix again, as the Trevians again have the maximum four qualifiers (2 singles players, 2 doubles teams) participating, including junior Carol Finke, who reached the quarterfinals of the Singles tournament last year and is seeded fourth in 2012.
Homewood-Flossmoor (5th) and Edwardsville (15th) both enjoyed Top 15 team finishes a year ago and will look to continue to move up the standings with four qualifiers apiece in 2012. Champaign Centennial, Danville, Glenbrook South, Loyola Academy, Mattoon, Oak Park-River Forest and York all enter the 2012 state tourney with a maximum of four qualifiers as well.
SINGLES
Two-time (2009, 2011) Singles state champ Jerricka Boone from Morgan Park is not a part of the 2012 field, which shifts the focus to Alex Chatt from Lyons. Chatt reached the finals a year ago as a sophomore, where she took a set from Boone before falling 3-6, 7-4, 6-4. Despite her success a year ago, Chatt checks in as the No. 2 seed in the Singles tournament this season, with Glenbrook South junior Caroline Ryba earning the top seed. Ryba reached the fourth round of the state tourney a year ago.
Wheaton Warrenville South junior Keisha Clousing is tabbed as the No. 3 seed, one year after she reached the semifinals. Clousing and Ryba shared the same fate a year ago, as their state tourney runs ended with losses to Chatt.
Carmel sophomore Brienne Minor and Mundelein senior Ari Dechter round out the Top 8 seeds in the Singles tournament at the No. 7 and No. 8 spots, respectively. Minor is the younger sister of Jasmine Minor, the IHSA’s 2010 Singles champion, and reached the fourth round last year before falling to Finke. Dechter fell to Clousing in the 2011 quarterfinals and went on to reach the semifinals in the consolation bracket.
DOUBLES
If having the two-time Doubles champs wasn’t enough, Lorenzini and Cusick may find that their top competition in the threepeat bid comes from within, as Hinsdale Central senior Alysa Straub and junior Katie Lee earned the No. 2 seed in that bracket.
Nazareth Academy’s tandem of senior Alysa Straub and junior Lexi Petrovic reached the championship match a year ago and will be primed for another title shot after taking a set in last year’s finale before eventually falling 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Twin sisters Tracey and Amy Kuhle from St. Theresa in Decatur are the No. 5 seed and hope to close their high school careers with a state title after strong state tourney showings the past two years.
|
SITES
Barrington High School
*Buffalo Grove High School
Conant High School
Elk Grove High School
Fremd High School
Hersey High School
Hoffman Estates High School
Palatine High School
Prospect High School
Rolling Meadows High School
Schaumburg High School
Wheeling High School
* Tournament Central
SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 18
All matches - 8:00 am *
Friday, October 19
Consolation - 8:00 am *
Championship - 9:00 am *
Saturday, October 20
Consolation - 8:00 am
Championship - 9:00 am
* Suspended matches will be played at a site and time TBA by tournament managers
LIVE LEADERBOARD
Singles
Doubles
TICKETS
There is no charge for admission at this event
BROADCAST
A highlight package from the tournament will be posted on www.IHSA.tv in the days that follow the tournament.
INTERACT
Use #IHSA on Twitter
Chat
Photos
Video Highlights
HISTORY & RECORDS
2012 State Series
Record Book & Past Champions
|