As I head off into vacation, you’ll have a week to debate
these possibilities for an all-decade girls tennis team – our second
installment in a series we’ll be offering up each Thursday.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
SINGLES
Christine Bader, Okemos – Our LSJ Player of the Year as both
a junior and senior, Bader was Division 2 state champion at No. 1 in 2002 and
runner-up in 2003. Played at Michigan State.
Alaina Griffin, Portland – The 2001 LSJ Player of the Year
made at least the Division 4 state quarterfinals at No. 1 all four years of
high school, finishing as runner-up as a senior. Portland’s
all-time wins leader went on to play at Butler.
Stephanie Kebler, Okemos – The 2004 LSJ Player of the Year
didn’t lose her final three seasons of high school – playing No. 2 behind Bader
as a sophomore and junior and then No. 1 as a senior. She obviously won state
titles after each, and also played at MSU. She was also the state's first Miss Tennis award winner.
Cosette Buckberry, East
Lansing – A four-time LSJ all-area Dream Team
selection playing No. 1, Buckberry won three league and regional titles,
finishing second only to Kebler as a freshman. She was state runner-up as a
junior and made the semis as a senior in 2008 and was area Player of the Year after
both. Has played on MSU’s club team.
DOUBLES
Nicole Spagnuolo and Ariel Silverstein, Okemos – Two-time Division
2 state semifinalists at No. 1.
Erika Neumann and Sarah Smith, Holt – Won two CAAC-1
championships at No. 1 facing Okemos and East
Lansing among others, and won the regional as seniors.
Maryal Miller and Katie Rawlinson, Okemos – Won the Division
2 state title at No. 1 in 2002 after finishing runner-up at No. 2 in 2001.
Jessica Chiu and Christine Olin, Okemos – Together they won
a Division 2 No. 2 state title and were No. 1 runners-up. Apart, Chiu won
another No. 2 state title, and Olin was an individual state champ at No. 3.
Others in the conversation so far:
Jenna D’Angelo, Mason – She could easily push into the top
four after going 97-14 during her four-year career. She won three league titles
at No. 1, and as a senior was undefeated locally and made the Division 3 state semis
in being named 2005 area Player of the Year. She has worked as an associate tennis
pro at Western Michigan and was recognized in
March as the Presidential Scholar for being the top senior from the theatre
department.
Karli Schneider, Okemos – The 2000 LSJ Player of the Year was
Division 2 state runner-up in her second year at No. 1. She was also a No. 2
semifinalist as a sophomore. Played at Mary Washington College.
Jennifer Prisner, St.
Johns – Made at least the Division 1 regional
semifinals as both a junior and senior, after both being named to the all-area
Dream Team. Played at Ferris State.
Janelle Prisner, St. Johns –
Jennifer’s sister has made the all-area Dream Team in both of her high school
seasons, making the Division 1 state quarters this spring as a junior.
Tiffany Ash, Williamston – Ash has been a Dream Team
selection at No. 1 her first three seasons of high school. She’s made the
Division 4 state quarterfinals twice and the semifinals once.
Ashley Stockwell, Okemos – Two-time all-area Dream Team
selection also playing now at MSU.
Irene Ng of Okemos and Hailey Barrett of Grand Ledge – They were
only freshmen this spring, but were the area’s two best players and should
make the next decade’s team.
Anya Nikolai and Mattie Nelson, Williamston -- Finished as
Division 4 state runner-up this spring, and Nikolai did the same with a
different partner in 2008.
Jamie Graham and Jacque Miller, St. Johns -- Made the LSJ all-area Dream Team
in 2002, and each one did so separately with other partners as well, Graham in
2001 and Miller in 2003.
Austin Lavallii and Kendra Peterson, Mason -- Went 25-1 in
2008 in winning both league and regional titles, after Lavallii moved over from
No. 1 singles, where she'd also made an LSJ Dream Team.
Marci Messenger and Sarah Badiee, East Lansing -- Won the CAC and Division 2
state titles at No. 1 in 2000.
And the coaches:
Al Inkala, Okemos -- Chieftains have finished first twice and second three times in Division 2 state tournaments this decade.
Steve Stanley, Williamston -- Built the Hornets' program into a powerhouse, and despite facing strong private schools in Division 4 led Williamston to the 2008 state title.
And if you didn't get a chance to check out the golf discussion, click here.
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