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Monday, August 22, 2005     Page: 7B

Northeast Pennsylvania Tennis Conference
   
Southern Division Team Capsules
    BERWICK
   
Coach: Trinell Bull, 21st year
   
Last year: 9-3
   
Key players: Kim Berger, jr.; Shannon Birt, sr.; Denise Collins, jr.;
Kaitlyn Ide, jr.; Katie Lynn, fr.; Andrea Maltestra, jr.; Jamie Petty, so.;
Sarah Pifer, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: Pifer played the top spot for the team last year and is
expected to do it again this year. The team must play without Emily Odgren,
who played the No. 2 spot last year. She is a very accomplished piano player
and has decided to skip tennis this year in order to concentrate on music.
Maltestra had her hand at singles last year and is expected to play there,
with freshman Lynn, this year as well. Many of the girls from last year’s
squad are coming back, and that should help Berwick improve on last year’s
record.
   
BISHOP HAFEY
   
Coach: Denise Dittman, 2nd year
   
Last year: 4-8
   
Key players: Alex Blahosky, sr.; Lindsay Dittman, sr.; Jody Kapuschinsky,
sr.; Kristin Pauline, sr.; Katie Pavlick, so.; Emily Skuba, so.; Alicia Yanac,
sr.
   
Coach’s comments: The Bishop Hafey team has seven seniors, almost all of
whom have been on the team since their freshman year. Pavlick, though only a
sophomore, should play the top spot this year. She did last year after an
injury sat her out for a while, then forced her to play doubles to get back in
shape. She boasted a .500 record, and she should improve on that this year.
The team only lost two girls to graduation, and only one who was a starter, so
they should be in good shape this time around.
   
COUGHLIN
   
Coach: Teresa Popielarski, 3rd year
   
Last year: n/a
   
Key players: Jen Barry, fr.; Katie Barry, jr.; Maria Centini, sr.; Lora
Chronowski, jr.; Cassie Ford, jr.; Michelle Galli, jr.; Sadia Hussan, jr.;
Michelle Jescavage, sr.; Katie Juskiewicz, jr.; Lindsay Masser, sr.; Taran
Mukhija, sr.; Sara Popple, so.; Taylor Popple, jr.
   
Coach’s comments: The team started out slowly last year, but it was because
of a lack of experience. The team was young, and didn’t have any senior
leadership. That responsibility fell on the shoulders of Taylor Popple and
Katie Barry, both of whom were only sophomores last year. They played No. 1
and 2 respectively last year and should find themselves in the same roles this
year. That should help the team find success more quickly this year.
Popielarski takes the reins for the third year, and likes the addition of her
new players – Ford, Juskiewicz and a younger Barry. Although they haven’t
played with the team before, they all have a tennis background.
   
CRESTWOOD
   
Coach: Scott Lenio, 8th year
   
Last year: 6-6
   
Key players: Stephanie Applegate, sr.; Cassie Bowman, fr.; Ashley Evans,
sr.; Kelly Garinger, sr.; Lena Ziegler, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: Crestwood lost its top two singles players from last year
– Alesha Petrash graduated and Geraldine Fabri, who was an exchange student,
has moved back to Belgium. It leaves Lenio with some spots to fill, but, with
30 girls trying out this year, he should be OK. He has five girls who played
last year returning, and they should help to lead the younger players. What
helps Lenio is this year’s 3-2 format. He does need one more player on the
roster than last year, and it puts more pressure on his singles players, but
with returnees in those spots, the team should be able to improve on last
year’s .500 record. He also has Doug Fawbush, Meyers’ coach in the spring, as
an assistant for the first time.
   
DALLAS
   
Coach: Mike Balutanski, 3rd year
   
Last year: 9-3
   
Key players: Alia Pyros, sr.; Paige Kyle, jr.; Rachel Schaub, jr.; Claire
Mitchell, jr.; Alicia Evans, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: Last year was the first time that Dallas qualified for
the playoffs. The success came after back-to-back 1-11 seasons. Winning made
the girls’ attitude more positive, and that may be one of the reasons that
Dallas has 26 girls out for the team this year. Dallas lost eight girls to
graduation, including the top three singles players. The team will be young
and inexperienced, but is full of girls with a lot of potential.
   
FREELAND MMI
   
Coach: Don Arbaugh, 2nd year
   
Last year: 2-13
   
Key players: Tanya Butt, sr.; Nicole Clarke, jr.; JoLynn Heller, so.; Sarah
Kashubski, sr.; Nathalie Kocon, fr.; Anna Loshakov, jr.; Megha Patel, so.;
Chandra Robbins, jr.; Suzi Sari, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: The team lacked seniors last year, but Arbaugh and the
girls found the season to be successful. Butt was the only returnee to last
year’s squad. So with a handful of girls coming back this year, it should give
the team fewer lumps to take at the beginning of the season. Arbaugh sees hope
in Kocon, a freshman who transferred from Crestwood this year. Butt should
play the top spot with Loshakov at number two and the rest of the girls vying
for the final singles spot.
   
HANOVER AREA
   
Coach: Terry Schnee, 18th year
   
Last year: 7-4
   
Key players: Chelsea Grazino, jr.; Andrea Kordek, jr.; Emily Mullin, so.;
Jennifer Paull, jr.; Stephanie Podczasy, so.; Courtney Vojtko, so.
   
Coach’s comments: There was only one senior on last year’s team, so it gave
the younger players a lot of opportunities to bank playing time. But, with
only one year of experience, it leaves the door wide open for this year’s
young players to get on the starting lineup. Schnee’s concern is depth. He’s
afraid that his team might not be as deep as it needs to be to contend this
season with the new 3-2 format. But, he won’t be sure until the season starts.
   
HAZLETON AREA
   
Coach: Ryan Rendick, 2nd year
   
Last year: 12-2
   
Key players: Jenn Booch, sr.; Maegan Demko, sr.; Aubrey Klesh, jr.; Shannon
Sabo, sr.; Nemahun Vincent, jr.; Nyandai Vincent, so.
   
Coach’s comments: Sabo should assume the top spot again this year, one
where she excelled as a junior. She and Demko have taken on leadership roles,
although they are only two of 13 seniors who should appear on this year’s
roster. The team graduated two starters, but the new players should fit those
holes nicely. The team lost last year in the first round of the district
tournament, and that was the only match that Klesh lost at fourth singles all
season. The Vincent sisters – Nemahun and Nyandai – will play together, most
likely in the first doubles position. This is Rendick’s second year as head
coach, and that year of experience has already helped him greatly in the
postseason.
   
PITTSTON AREA
   
Coach: Kim Collins, 1st year
   
Last year: 8-3
   
Key players: Jess Brogna, jr.; Maria Cometa, jr.; Morgan Fereck, so.; Steph
Kudey, sr.; Marissa Marcario, jr.; Lauren Zurek, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: Collins takes the helm for the first time with an
inexperienced squad. The team graduated 12 from last year’s squad, leaving
Kudey and Brogna as the only returning players with any varsity match
experience. The roster has eight rookies, but they’re learning quickly from
the veterans. Since Collins doesn’t have an assistant coach, she has enlisted
the veterans to help with drills and circuit training. Getting to spend time
with the older girls is something the younger players enjoy, and that will
help the team to bond.
   
SETON CATHOLIC
   
Coach: Pat Fino, 7th year
   
Last year: 4-7
   
Key players: Bailee Antal, jr.; Kim Attardo, sr.; Ashley DePhillips, jr.;
Katie Kozak, so.; Ashley McCulloch, jr.; Julie Ostrowski, so.; Kim Sutkowski,
jr.; Stephanie Sutkowski, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: Attardo is a natural leader. She’s the captain of the
cheerleading squad and is ranked No. 1 in her graduating class. She takes that
on the tennis court. It’s there that she’s the top singles player and the
obvious choice for team captain. She’ll have her work cut out with that this
year. The team lost three of its top four singles players to graduation. This
year may be a rebuilding year with next year turning the team into a
powerhouse. But, the team has a lot of four-seed players, according to Fino,
so this year could shock even him.
   
TUNKHANNOCK
   
Coach: John VanDyke, 2nd year
   
Last year: 0-12
   
Key players: Kayla Candrilli, fr.; Chelsea Clark, sr.; Ashley Evans, sr.;
Katie Hurst, sr.; Kelly Hurst, so.; Kaitlin Lundin, so.; Liz Nole, sr.; Tia
Robinson, so.; Nicole Wootten, so.
   
Coach’s comments: Last year’s team was inexperienced, and this year’s team
is in the same situation. The team is still trying to recover from losing six
seniors – girls who played the majority of the matches – two years ago. The
roster will boast six freshmen, many of whom will see playing time. Nole and
Katie Hurst have experience from last year, and that’s something the team will
have to rely on. Nole will most likely play singles while Hurst will switch
off between singles and doubles with her younger sister, Kelly.
   
WYOMING VALLEY WEST
   
Coach: Jim Zimmerman, 10th year
   
Last year: 6-6
   
Key players: Emily Dekmar, so.; Libby Mattern, jr.; Katie Peterman, jr.;
Lida Weinberg, sr.
   
Coach’s comments: The team’s top three singles players – Katie Chorpenning,
Helen Pavlac and Kate Mattern – were all lost to graduation. Chorpenning
played the top spot for two years, and all three were four-year starters. They
were also the leaders of the team since they got there, so it’ll be hard to
replace them. But, that’s the challenge set for Peterman, Weinberg and
Mattern. They have been working hard, and will be sure to lead the younger
girls. The team will be a little inexperienced this year, but Zimmerman hopes
to improve on last year’s record.
   
WYOMING SEMINARY
   
Coach: Emily Robinson, 1st year
   
Last year: 12-0
   
Key players: Amy Berman, jr.; Sara Brown, sr.; Laney Jones, so.; Katlyn
Kopen, jr.
   
Coach’s comments: Robinson learned a lot as an assistant under Ros Rudin,
who had coached for 25 years before stepping down from her post. Robinson
knows some of the girls from last year, and that makes the preseason easier.
She has Brown, the team’s captain, to help her. Jones is new to the team and
has come as a surprise, but should mix with the team quite nicely.