Area tennis teams prepare for first service

Published February 25th, 2008

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

Last year was a banner year for the American Heritage-Delray tennis teams, as both won state championships.

Even more impressively, the boys won four of five singles titles and two doubles titles, and the girls added two individual titles and one doubles title.

The Stallions have lost the top two boys who led the team last year, two-time state champion Joe Cadogan and No. 2 Jamaal Adderly, but Coach Brian Schleifer is excited about the prospects for the season.

“I’m confident,” he said. “The guys are deep and I’m excited about the team.”

Moving up to take over Cadogan’s spot at the top of the lineup was last year’s state champion in No. 4 singles, Sho Higuchi.

So far, Schleifer said, “he has been playing very well.”

Rehki Little, who won No. 3 singles last year, moves up to No. 2, while No. 5 singles winner Chris Lawson moves up to No. 3.

Bob Kadera takes over the No. 4 spot, and Alan Munoz moves into the rotation at No. 5.

On the girls’ side, Schleifer is lacking the depth of past years with No. 1 Christie Gattalero, No. 2 Jessica Yanoff and No. 4 player Maria Lazaris all leaving. Gattalero and Yanoff graduated and are playing at Hofstra and SMU respectively, and Lazaris, who was the only one of the three to win the state title, transferred to a school in Massachusetts.

Nicole Stanziola, who won the state title at No. 3 last year, has moved up to No. 1. But Stanziola has not played yet this season, as she has a variety of injury woes, from a pinched nerve in her neck to hip problems. Schleifer said she will be back next week. No. 2 player Jessica Pegula is someone Schleifer is excited about. Last year, Pegula missed the season with injuries and she suffered a stress fracture in her foot that will keep her out until next week.

Alison Wingo, the No. 5 player last year, moves up to No. 3 and Jessica Cove takes over the No. 4 role.

“I’m hopeful, but we have a real tough schedule,” Schleifer said.

Heritage isn’t the only school that has high hopes for the season, as Saint Andrew’s returns the girls individual singles winner, Anika Novacek, who is now a seasoned eighth-grader.

At Olympic Heights, defending overall doubles champions Sarah Gaynor and Shannon Gunning return to after winning their doubles title in Class 3A.

But because Olympic Heights enrollments went down, the Lions have been dropped to Class 2A.

Gunning lost in the state semifinals, but Lions coach Dave Bondonaro expects another deep run this year from his senior.

“If I had my choice across the state of any player, I would take no one but Shannon,” he said.

The rest of the girls team has similar prospects, but Bondonaro has a hole to fill at No. 5, where Ana Bucharzda graduated.

“Losing Ana, I don’t have that to fall back on,” he said. “Our top four girls are going to have a smaller margin of error.”

On the boys’ side, No. 1 Enrique Andrade looks to improve upon last year’s quarterfinal finish.

Boca Raton High and West Boca Raton figure to battle it out for the district title in Class 3A.

West Boca Raton returns four of five starters from last year’s team that placed third in Class 3A, but the Bulls lost their No. 1 player, state finalist Evan Bernstein.

Boca Raton is solid with Belgian Jeremy Delarue at the No. 1 position. He’s followed by Jake Youngswick and the Peterson brothers, Eric and Jon.

The Bobcats will be hurt by the departure of the Bollaci’s, Brody and sister Mimi, but a French transfer, Prescilla Thibodear, will slide into the No. 1 role.

She will be followed by former No. 1s Olivia Poole and Alex Langmo, with Melanie Ryan playing No. 4.

Atlantic High’s boys team also is strong after reaching the Class 4A state finals last year.

Spanish River, which won the girls state title two years ago, returns senior Alexis Rodriguez, who was a finalist last year, and No. 3 semifinalist Shayna Tucker.

This year, a new rule change has added sub-regionals to the tennis format.

It’s a rule that has inspired skepticism from some coaches.

“In some ways it’s an extra match,” Boca Raton coach Bob Klemm said. “With who we have in the other district, it’s going to be difficult.”