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 The 2011 edition and 40th annual IHSA Girls Tennis State Finals are slated for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 20-22. 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 matches move to the campus of state final host, Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, for all of Saturday’s matches. Should inclement weather force matches to be moved indoors, indoor sites will be posted on the IHSA website.
Hinsdale Central matched Oak Park-River Forest (1972-1975) and a previous Red Devil squad (1976-1979) with four consecutive team state titles from 2006-2009, but their bid to set a new record for consecutive team state championships in 2010 was upended by Lake Forest. The Scouts edged Hinsdale Central 40-36 in team points to win the school’s first team tennis title since 2002 and will be a top contender again with four qualifiers, including sophomore Elizabeth Zordani, who will play singles this year after being a part of a doubles tandem that finished second in the state a year ago. Hinsdale Central will again be a factor, as the Red Devils qualified the maximum of two singles players and two doubles pairs. Perennial contenders New Trier and Glenbrook North, who placed second and third, respectively, a year ago are two of 18 schools who will have the maximum number of qualifiers competing this weekend.
Wheaton Warrenville South sophomore Keisha Clousing enters the state meet as the top seed in the singles field, as she fell to since graduated Jasmine Minor of Carmel 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the 2010 singles state championship match.
Morgan Park Academy junior Jerrica Boone returns to the singles field in 2011 and is the No. 2 seed. Boone won the singles title as a freshman in 2009, but did not qualify for the state meet a year ago.
Third-seeded Alexis Casati, a junior from Deerfield, advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles consolation bracket at last year’s state tourney, as did Grayslake North senior Kelly Poggensee-Wei, the No. 6 seed in 2011, and Benet senior Cassie Kovach.
Hinsdale Central juniors Marika Cusick and Caroline Lorenzini were the obvious choice for the No. 1 seed in the doubles bracket. The pair scored a 6-2, 6-3 victory over a tandem from Lake Forest in the state championship match a year ago and now look to become the sixth doubles team in state history to win two state crowns.
Decatur St. Teresa’s Tracey and Amy Kuhle are expected to be Cusick and Lorenzini’s top competitors in 2011, as the No. 2 seeded twin sisters placed third last year after falling to the eventual state champs in the semifinals.
Stevenson’s tandem of sophomore Alexxis Kiven and freshman Kendall Kirsch received the No. 3 seed and will look to become the school’s first state doubles champions.
New Trier junior Emily Barretta and sophomore Gabby Nixon are the No. 4 seed in the doubles field. Barretta brings state final experience to the table, as she played doubles a year ago with a different partner and reached the semifinals.
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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-all Saturday matches at Prospect
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
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Photos
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