Web Extra!

Over the last 12 months, the Lyons Township girls tennis team has earned a sixth-place finish at the state finals (October 2008) and won a team summer state tournament championship (June 2009). Off to a fast start already this season with several dual-match victories, the Lions return a talented and deep squad.


“This team has a lot of talent, but they are going to grow into it,” LT coach Bill Wham said. “There is a ton of potential and capability with this group. I see us getting better and better as the season moves on.”


The Lions welcome back five state qualifiers headed up by No. 1 singles player Tina Harazin. During the summer, Harazin competed at national tournaments in St. Louis, Indianapolis, Memphis and Berkeley, California. She is considering playing college tennis in either the Big Ten or Ivy League.


“I’m having a great year so far, winning the national tournament in St. Louis,” Harazin said. “Hopefully, I can cover some ground in singles this season. We finished sixth [at state] last year, so I think definitely we can finish in the top five this season.”


Harazin and Elise Woulfe (University of Cincinnati) went 27-5 in 2008 and captured a pair of third-place doubles state finishes over the last two years. This season, Harazin takes over the No. 1 singles spot for Woulfe.


The Lions’ other top singles players are Hadley Burke, Alexis Reisch and Katie Miller. Burke and Reisch also comprise a talented doubles team, along with doubles partners Madeline Barnabee-Stephanie Eastman, Janet Brown-Allison Ignarski, and Kirsten Conrath-Eileen McLaughlin


Katie Chilton, Eileen Hamilton, Kelley Monzella, Kristen Leydig, Maureen Sweeney and Annie Weismann will also contribute.

 

“Every kid will play matches for us,” Wham said. “Some of the kids like Tina played a ton of summer tournaments and are ready to play. Other kids didn’t which I like because it gives them eight weeks to get their game back to where it was in June.”


Three-time defending state champion Hinsdale Central is the prohibitive favorite in the West Suburban (Silver) Conference race with LT projected second.


LT hosts the Red Devils this week in an early season conference showdown.


“I’m really excited because I have a lot of friends on Hinsdale Central,” Harazin said. “Win or lose, it’s a good opportunity for us to get in some great matches.”