Northwest Ohio tennis players are gearing up for the state tournament, which will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason.
Several Toledo-area athletes from Division I and Division II programs will make the trip.
Here is a look at this year’s local qualifiers.
Lilly Black, Anthony Wayne
Lilly Black qualified for her fourth Division I singles state tournament and won her fourth consecutive Division I singles district title. Black, a University of Cincinnati commit, defeated teammate Mara Boyd 6-0, 6-0 to advance.
“I think I just need to not focus on the score,” Black said. “Just focus on playing my best and having a good attitude, because that's what tennis is mostly about.”
She finished third in 2020 and was runner-up in 2021 at the state tournament. Black clinched back-to-back Northern Lakes League player of the year honors this season.
She is the 11th ranked tennis player in Ohio and 34th in the Great Lakes region, according to tennisrecruiting.net. Black will face Ava Mathur, a sophomore from Wooster, in the first round of the tournament.
Mason's Shyla Aggarwal -- who beat Black in last year's final 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 -- is back in the bracket again this weekend.
“Any one of these girls can beat each other,” coach Jim Sutto said. “So you just need the right day. Hopefully her strokes are on and good things happen, but she's been such a great player for Anthony Wayne, probably the best in school history.”
Mara Boyd, Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne is sending two singles players to state for the first time. Boyd, a freshman, earned first team All-NLL accolades.
“It's so much fun,” Boyd said. “I think we've all worked super hard to get here, and I think I've learned a lot, and I'm just excited to be there and watch everybody play and just take notes.”
She will compete against Lewis Center Olentangy’s Sheryl Gerald in the first round of the tournament. Gerald, a sophomore, is ranked No. 6 in Ohio. Boyd is No. 22 in Ohio and 111th in the Great Lakes region.
“Mara's really turned it on a lot since the beginning of the summer,” Sutto said. “I've worked with Mara for years and have always seen the progression as she's gotten bigger and stronger. Getting to state is such a huge accomplishment as a freshman and she's really going to get some valuable experience for the years to come.”
The Generals are also competing in the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association team tournament semifinals Sunday at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School.
Emma Nofziger and Ellie Assenmacher, Notre Dame
Nofziger and Assenmacher – both seniors – defeated Northview’s doubles pair Brynn Chaffee and Maddie Peisley 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to claim the Division I doubles district title. This is Nofziger and Assenmacher’s second state tournament appearance as a pair.
Assenmacher earned a state tournament berth twice with her sister Olivia.
“The first time going down there, it's super stressful, and I feel like everyone's so antsy,” Assenmacher said. “But the second time or third time or how many times you go, I feel like you get more comfortable there, and you know that any day, anyone can get the match win.”
Assenmacher was the 2021 Three Rivers Conference player of the year.
Nofziger collected this season’s TRAC player of the year award. This is her second state tournament berth.
“I really tried to work on the mental aspect of the game, not getting down on myself,” Nofziger said. “And I worked with [Twos Athletic Club general manager] Jeff Mielcarek here in the offseason about different mental exercises to keep myself there, because I knew I had the tools to do that.”
The duo will compete against North Canton Hoover seniors Claire Wood and Angelina Koinoglou in the first round of the tournament.
“Ellie is more comfortable at the net,” Notre Dame coach Kim Pacella said. “She figures out ways to get herself into the net where she can dictate points. And Emma's a little stronger from the baseline. She sets her up and cranks it a little bit. They know their strengths and weaknesses.”
Brynn Chaffee and Maddie Peisley, Northview
Chaffee (senior) and Peisley (sophomore) were runners-up in the Division I doubles district after falling to Nofziger and Assenmacher. Chaffee and Peisley will make their first appearance as a pair at the state tournament.
“They've gotten stronger and stronger as far as power-wise,” Northview coach Mark Fisher said. “The biggest key in doubles is taking advantage at the net and putting the ball away. Right now the key to their success is playing strong at the net, because they both have great ground strokes.”
Chaffee is ranked No. 13 in Ohio and 39th in Great Lakes region, according to tennisrecruiting.net. The doubles pair both earned first team All-NLL honors.
“Maddie's ground strokes are really good, and she can set me up at the net,” said Chaffee. “We’ve just learned a lot about each other's games and just how we play mentally and just in tennis overall.”
The duo will play Dublin Coffman’s Lauren Burkett, a sophomore, and Emily Yoshino, a senior, who finished third at districts.
“I think our mental game really needs to be in our play as we're playing, and we just need to try our best,” Peisley said. “That's all we can do.”
Catherine Rhegness, Ottawa Hills
Rhegness, a junior, qualified for her third Division II singles state tournament. She won the northwest district title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Alora Patel (Lima Shawnee).
She is No. 10 in Ohio and No. 35 in the Great Lakes region, according to tennisrecruiting.net.
“I was trying to work on just overall building my game,” Rhegness said. “A lot of strength training to get more power in my shots and just building the points.”
Rhegness will compete against Pepper Pike Orange’s Blake Rothchild, who placed fourth at her districts.
“She's played some great competitors,” Ottawa Hills assistant coach Libbey Rhegness said. “She's had tough matches, and fortunately, I think that has helped her and will help her for states.”
Caitlyn DeWitt and Reese Grothaus, Bryan
DeWitt, a sophomore, and Grothaus, a senior, finished in third at Division II districts. DeWitt and Grothaus will match up against Marietta’s Reagan Estes and Olivia Emery in the first round of the tournament.
Grothaus is a third time state qualifier for the Golden Bears. Her and Emilee Bassett qualified for the tournament in 2020 and 2021.
Bryan will also compete in the OTCA team tournament semifinals Sunday.
Reagan Ruthsatz and Grace Arnold, Port Clinton
Reagan Ruthsatz, a junior, and Grace Arnold, a freshman, placed fourth in Division II doubles at districts. They will face Arya Chabria and Yasemin Bilgin, juniors from Gahanna Columbus Academy, who won their district title.
First Published October 20, 2022, 2:30 p.m.
