HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEWS / GIRLS TENNIS / Hills East Has Eye on Anoher Title: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Steven D. Sideratos. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 08 Sep 2000:
Half Hollow Hills East coach Cathy Vayianos thinks she might have to “do a little pushing” with her girls tennis team this year. She must know how to push all the right buttons, because the Thunderbirds have won nine of the last 10 Suffolk girls tennis titles.
Hills East looks poised to repeat as county champion this season with three returning senior All-State players in Jaymie Brill, Marin Ratner and Liz Brenner. Brill, who placed third in singles at the county individual championships last season, helped lead the Thunderbirds to the team title by defeating singles champion Jennifer LoRusso of Shoreham-Wading River.
“Jaymie is probably one of the most competitive girls I’ve ever coached,” Vayianos said. “She’s the leader of the team, and when it’s necessary, she pushes her teammates a bit.”
Ratner and Brenner played singles during the season last year but teamed to place third in the doubles competition at the individual championships. At the state championships, the duo advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated. “Marin plays a great deal,” Vayianos said, “and puts a lot into her play. Liz tends to lead by example.” As part of the Long Island team at the recent Empire State Games in Binghamton, Ratner and Brill teamed to win a gold medal in doubles.
“We don’t take anything for granted,” Vayianos said. “We’re fighting hard to maintain the winning tradition at Hills East.”
Looking to knock the Thunderbirds off their perch is Shoreham- Wading River. LoRusso, a senior, and the senior doubles team of Ingrid Lukoski and Jen Utoft are the key returnees.
Whitman and Westhampton also figure to give Hills East some stiff competition. Returning for Whitman is senior Liz Axler, an All-State player in doubles last season. Westhampton welcomes back its All- State doubles team of senior Erin Johnson and sophomore Jen Rosler as well as senior All-Suffolk singles player Meredith Kolpak.
Other top players are Smithtown’s Lauren Simmons and Longwood‘s Jackie Legnon, both All-State selections.
In the CHSAA, St. Anthony’s and Sacred Heart look to loosen the stranglehold that St. Francis Prep (Queens) has had on the title. St. Anthony’s returns junior Ashley Laurie, who competed at the state tournament. Sacred Heart returns its two top doubles teams: senior Patricia Troiano and junior Therese Keane, and seniors Kerry Magee and Catherine McKenna.
Top Teams: Half Hollow Hills East, Shoreham-Wading River, Whitman, Westhampton. Key Players: Hills East seniors Jaymie Brill, Marin Ratner and Liz Brenner; Shoreham- Wading River seniors Jennifer LoRusso (Suffolk singles champ), Ingrid Lukoski and Jen Utoft; Whitman senior Liz Axler; Smithtown sophomore Lauren Simmons; Westhampton senior Erin Johnson and sophomore Jen Rosler; Longwood senior Jackie Legnon; St. Anthony’s junior Ashley Laurie. Matches to Watch: Shoreham-Wading River at Smithtown, today, 4 p.m.; Smithtown at Whitman, Sept. 12, 4 p.m.; Whitman at Hills East, Sept. 20, 4 p.m.; Shoreham-Wading River at Westhampton, Sept. 20, 4 p.m.; Hills East at Smithtown, Oct. 4, 4 p.m.
Longwood 1 Half Hollow Hills East 6, Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 12 Sep 2000:
GIRLS TENNIS
| Ward Melville 7 Patchogue-Medford 0 |
| Sachem 7 Longwood 0 |
| Sayville 6 Middle Country 1 |
| Bellport 4 Mt. Sinai 3 |
| Stony Brook 5 Bayport-Blue Point 2 |
| Comsewogue 4 Port Jefferson 3 |
| Southampton 4 Miller Place 3. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 13 Sep 2000: |
GIRLS TENNIS
| Half Hollow Hills East 6 Whitman 1 |
| Mercy 6 Ross 1 |
| Middle Country 5 Patchogue-Medford 2 |
| Sachem 6 Ward Melville 1 |
| Westhampton 4 Shoreham-WR 3 |
| Miller Place 5 East Hampton 2 |
| Rocky Point 4 Southampton 3 |
| Southold 65 Floyd 5 |
| Hampton Bays 5 Riverhead 2 |
| Commack 6 Huntington 1 |
| Smithtown 6 Kings Park 1 |
| Half Hollow Hills 4 Northport 3 |
| Glenn 4 Hauppauge 3 |
| Babylon 6 West Islip 1 |
| Islip 6 North Babylon 1 |
| Sayville 6 Longwood 1 |
| Mt. Sinai 6 Port Jefferson 1. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 21 Sep 2000: |
GIRLS TENNIS
| Smithtown 4 Huntington 3 |
| Ward Melville 4…………………..Longwood 3 |
| Sayville 5 Patchogue-Medford 2 |
| Bellport 6 Comsewogue 1 |
| Shoreham-W.R. 6 Southampton 1 |
| Westhampton 6 Miller Place 1 |
| Hampton Bays 5 Mercy 2 |
| Whitman 4 Kings Park 3 |
| Half H.H. East 5 Commack 2 |
| Half H.H. West 7 Glenn 0 |
| West Islip 7 North Babylon 0 |
| Babylon 5 Bay Shore 2 |
| Rocky Point 4 East Hampton/BH/P 3 |
| Harborfields 5 Northport 2. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 23 Sep 2000: |
| GIRLS TENNIS |
| Brentwood 6 Central Islip 1 |
| Islip 5 East Islip 2 |
| Hills West 6 Hauppauge 1 |
| Westhampton 6 Sachem 1 |
| Bellport 7 Port Jefferson 0 |
| Hills East 7 Bay Shore 0 |
| Miller Place 4 Patchogue-Medford 3 |
| Harborfields 6 Glenn 1 |
| Rocky Point 4 Sayville 3 |
| Southampton 6 Longwood 1. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 28 Sep 2000: |
GIRLS TENNIS
| Huntington 4 Kings Park 3 |
| Sachem 4 Sayville 3 |
| Longwood 7 Patchogue-Medford 0 |
| Southampton 7 East Hampton 0 |
| Westhampton 6 Rocky Point 1 |
| Shoreham-Wading River 7 Miller Place 0. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 05 Oct 2000: |
DIVISION III: Singles (Second Round): Szczupak (Ward Melville) def. Harrison (Stony Brook) 6-0, 6-2; Kempster (Patchogue-Medford) def. Brunn (SB) 7-5, 6-1; del Rosario (Bellport) def. Wittenberg (Mt. Sinai) 6-1, 6-0; Willet (Bell.) def. Chan (Middle Country) 6-1, 6-1; Doubles (Second Round): Koslowski-Trucello (Sachem) def. Tichy- Donatelli (Bayport-Blue Point) 6-3, 6-1; Micheletti-Sequin (Sac.) def. Allahuerdi-Schmacher (P-M) 6-2, 6-1; Kraics-Gold (WM) def. Meszaros-Samuels (Longwood) 6-4, 6-3; Ward-Noeldechen (Sac.) def. Goldacker-Fallon (Sayville) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 15 Oct 2000:
DOUBLES -Quarterfinals: Kozlowski and Truscello (Sachem) def. Liebling and Wilson (Longwood), 6-2, 6-0; Ward and Noeldechen (Sachem) def.[Doyle] and Ott (WM); Kraics and Gold (WM) def. Buckovinsky and Lawson (Long), 6-2, 6-3; Micheletti and Seguin (Sachem) def. Ortiz and Roode (Comsewogue), 6-3, 6-4. Semifinals: Kozlowski and Truscello (Sachem) def. Ward and Noeldechen (Sachem), 6- 1, 6-1; Kraics and Gold (WM) def. Micheletti and Seguin (Sachem), 6- 0, 6-1. Oct. 16