High school girls tennis teams can begin competition Monday, and northern Indianapolis again has several of the best teams in the state. Here's a preseason ranking of the teams.
1. Park Tudor: The Panthers have won four straight state titles, went 22-0 last year ... and should be better. Their top three singles players - Lindsay, Thygesen, Caroline Emhardt and Maggie MacPhail - return, and freshman Chelsea Carter is expected to crack the lineup. The No. 2 doubles team of Julie Elvin and Sarah MacPhail also return, thought it may be split up.
2. Cathedral: Coach Mark Noe calls this team the best in his seven seasons with the Irish. Paolo Usina returns as one of the best players in the state and is getting pushed for the No. 1 spot by Madison Rothberger. Kate Winningham, who played No. 3 singles as a freshman, is back after focusing on soccer as a sophomore. Sophomore Cassia Wojtalik is expected to combine at No. 1 doubles with freshman Carlene Eckhart, the only new member of the lineup. Megan Adams and Elizabeth Whitsett are at No. 2 doubles.
3. Brebeuf Jesuit: The Braves return a deep and experienced team with Gabrielle Rubenstein,, the area's top player, returning at No. 1 singles. Anna Barnard is one of the best No. 2 players around, and Christine Barry will play No. 3. Kelly Csiszar and Rachel Ogle return with doubles experience, and Emily Davis and Liza Moore move up to varsity after leading the freshman team to a championship in the Carmel Invitational last year. The Braves are a top-10 team but will have to contend with Park Tudor in sectionals.
4. Bishop Chatard: Expect the Trojans to return to the top 20 with their top five players returning from a team that went 7-9 last year, with five losses to ranked squads. The team will look to No. 1 Lauren Kessing (11-8 last year), No. 2 Lauren Paras and No. 3 Katie Nickol, plus Sarah DeNardin and Angie Monger back from the doubles teams. Freshmen Emily Nightingale and Heather O'Brien will compete with Julie Kowning, Alex Perry and Kathleen Weaver for varsity positions.
5. Lawrence Central: The Bears return their top three players - Hilary Nelson (12-3), Raylor Szalaiy (13-2), Lyndsey Dinkins (11-4) - and add senior Nicole Kirby and freshman Krystal White.
6. North Central: The Panthers lost three players who are on scholarship in college and will rely on a lot of yourth under first-year coach Dan Brunette. Sophomore Jessica Allen joins the team after being homeshcooled, with classmates Kaitlynn Lindley and Claudia Varga also competing for playing time. Amy Bercowitz, Rachel Dean-Webster and Hannah Herman return with varsity expeience. Brunette likes the team's talent level, but it will need to develop.
7. Pike: The Red Devils have six of their seven varsity players back from last season's 8-8 team: No. 1 Sara Vik, No. 2 Bridget Callahan, No. 3 Danitra Gilvert, sistern Alison and Katherine Brown at No.1 doubles, and Maribel DeGuzman at No.2 doubles. Freshman Allison Rosebrough has potential to earn a singles spot, and sophomore Geneva Moore returns from an injury.
8. Lawrence North: The Wildcats return No. 2 singles player Debra Easton-Batres, the No. 2 doubles tandem of Nicole Gentry and Allie Kipper, and No. 1 doubles player Kameron Geiger from a 9-9 team. Sophomore Clair Kassebaum and freshman Kathleen Rutherford are expected to contribute.
9. Heritage Christian: First-year coach Pam Kaneis excited that nine freshmen - three times the normal number - have come out for the team, but they will be part of a building process. Senior Kelsey Meyer and junior Haley Menner return to compete for the top two singles sports. Freshman Asley Menner, Haylet's sister, will be the No. 3 player. Shelby Fleetwood, Traci Gross, Summer Scarpino and Amanda Shake are likly doubles players.
--- Nat Newell