WHS tennis seeks redemption in rebuilding year

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There is some redemption on the line for the Wilmington High School girls tennis team in 2018.

For the first time “in a very long time,” the Lady Hurricane had a losing record (9-10) in 2017.

And for the first time since 2011, “We didn’t finish as league champions or runnersup,” coach Doug Cooper said.

“Our players have a lot to prove and they have worked hard in preparation for this season,” said Cooper.

However, redemption and rebuilding don’t always go together. And that’s what Cooper and the Lady Hurricane face this fall.

“This will be a rebuilding year,” Cooper admits.

Last year, WHS was third in the American Division. Sophie Reed graduate and Brooklyn Nielsen has moved out of the school district. Nielsen and Emma Schroeder were No. 4 seeds as a double team in the Centerville Sectional tournament last fall. Nielsen won 42 matches in two varsity seasons which is good enough for fourth on the school’s all-time wins list, Cooper said.

“(Brooklyn) was our most consistent player and will be missed,” said Cooper, who is assisted by junior varsity coach Keith Gilbert and Steve Reed.

Cooper has coached tennis at WHS 10 years, six of those as the girls head coach with a 64-42 record.

The top returnees for the Lady Hurricane are Schroeder, Allie Kees, Zane Bekheet and Kristina Walt. Claire Burns and Jenna Taylor are among the newcomers produced by the Wilmington Area Tennis Association program.

”There has been a lot of hard work (fitness) and preparation (tennis skills) during the off-season that has shown so far in our early practices, both from our returning players and our incoming freshmen,” said Cooper. “I see lots of respect for each other among our players. I like how well our new players are showing fast improvement even as they learn the game.

“We play a very challenging non-conference schedule and I know how important success in our conference play is to our returning varsity players.”

Cooper picks Goshen to be the repeat American Division champions, returning the best singles line-up from last season’s unbeaten league champs.

The Wilmington High School girls tennis team, from left to right, front row, Kristina Walt, Emma Schroeder, Zane Bekheet, Hannah Gordon; middle row, Chloe Mitchell, Emilee Pham, Jenna Taylor, Emma Lewis, Annie Osborn, Gracie Conger, Abby Lowe; back row, junior varsity coach Keith Gilbert, Claire Burns, Ella Zeigler, Rachel Barker, Josie Nichols, Allie Kees, Abby Greene, head coach Doug Cooper.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2018/08/web1_TEN_wilgirlsteam.jpgThe Wilmington High School girls tennis team, from left to right, front row, Kristina Walt, Emma Schroeder, Zane Bekheet, Hannah Gordon; middle row, Chloe Mitchell, Emilee Pham, Jenna Taylor, Emma Lewis, Annie Osborn, Gracie Conger, Abby Lowe; back row, junior varsity coach Keith Gilbert, Claire Burns, Ella Zeigler, Rachel Barker, Josie Nichols, Allie Kees, Abby Greene, head coach Doug Cooper. Images by Ginger Lee | Brenda Bowman

Schedule

Aug 10 vs Talawanda @WHS 3 pm

Aug 11 vs Strongsville @WHS 9 am

Aug 14 vs Clinton-Massie @WHS 4 pm

Aug 16 vs DeSales @WHS 315 pm

Aug 17 vs Seton @WHS 430 pm

Aug 21 @Western Brown 4 pm

Aug 23 vs New Richmond @WHS 4 pm

Aug 25 Hurricane Inv @WHS 8 am

Aug 28 vs Lebanon @WHS 4 pm

Aug 30 vs Goshen @WHS 4 pm

Sept 5 @Batavia 4 pm

Sept 10 vs Kings @WHS 4 pm

Sept 12 @Clinton-Massie 4 pm

Sept 13 @Goshen 4 pm

Sept 18 vs Western Brown @WHS 4 pm

Sept 19 @New Richmond 4 pm

Sept 20 GCTCA Tournament 3 pm

Sept 22 GCTCA Tournament 8 am

Sept 24 vs Batavia @WHS 4 pm

Sept 27 SBAAC Tournament @WHS 9 am

Oct 2 @Centerville 4 pm

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