The 2019 Friars Girls AA Tennis team made history as they captured their first ever CHSAA State Title and their second straight CHSAA League Title.
The Friars opened the 2019 season looking to defend their 2018 title and new the journey would not be easy. With 5 seniors returning they had strong hopes because of leadership, experience and three senior captains Hannah Quinn, Lauren Hamer and Ivana Nikolic who would not let the team lose focus. Seniors Kate Campisi, Riley Cherkes, Katherine Desimone also understood the focus and helped with direction. Captain Hamer stated, “keeping this group focused was easy, we all worked extremely hard throughout the season and were determined to win.”
The season opened September 10th facing Kellenberg and the Friars winning the match 7-0, immediately showing their strength. Jr Annabella Licata went 3-0 over her Firebird competitor and had no idea that starting the season off so strong would lead to 9-0 season singles record only dropping 1 set the entire season earning the number 1 Friar spot.
Head Coach Quinn stated, “Bella is amazing and my favorite things about her is no matter what her opponents throw her way, she’s unaffected by it. Her composure makes her an extraordinary competitor.” As the Coach from Molloy stated about Licata, “what that girls does isn’t easy but she makes it look easy.” Quinn completely agrees. Senior singles players Hamer and DeSimone would complete their tennis season with a total combined 9-5 match record.
St. Anthony’s would go undefeated in the next 5 matches and dominate their opponents 36-6 for the regular season title. With 3 matches remaining the girls knew that going undefeated for the season was now within reach.
The League Championship was played on October 15th on our home courts facing their arch rival Sacred Heart. In true rival fashion all but 2 courts would go into tie breakers sets but SA held off SH earning back-to back NSCHSGAA AA Tennis Titles, with a 6-1 match win over the Lady Spartans.
To capture a league title at this level requires all players to be at their best and doubles partners Quinn and junior Kiki Colon, Cherkes and Jr. Kelly Rall, and Campisi and Jr. Brianne McNulty all gelled strong enough to lead the league in match wins. Three out of four doubles teams going undefeated for the season and one group only losing one match is very exciting for a coach and half of those girls will all be returning in 2020.
Double partners Quinn and Colon who led the team with an overall season record of 9-0 “were incredibly in sync with each other. They developed their own plays and executed them all season. They were the best at sizing up their opponents then capitalizing quickly on their weaknesses,” stated Coach Quinn. Asking team captain Quinn about their success; “my partner Kiki and I made a great team because our styles of playing compliment each other perfectly. I am stronger from the baseline and she is incredible at net. The real reason we went undefeated though was because we truly enjoyed playing with each other. We talked constantly throughout every match and there was never a moment we weren’t laughing and having fun.”
Next up would be the most important match of the season, States! The girls tennis team suffered a 3-4 loss in 2018 to The Mary Louis Academy. The journey to this match has been one of commitment and determination and strong competitor Archbishop Molloy would stand in the Friars path. Molloy entered the match with an 8-2 record and owning the Brooklyn Queens 2019 League Title. The two schools would face off at the indoor courts at Alley Pond in Queens.
With all racquets hitting so well at the end of the season the Friars where nervous and anxious to face Molloy. A young team only losing 2 seniors and returning 11 players next year could mean real ownership of the Catholic State title for a few years if St. Anthony’s did not win this.
No tie breakers would be needed this match as the Black and Gold won the title 4-1 over Molloy. Coach Quinn feels this journey to states “was won 2-3 years ago when SA supported us by helping the team create a year round program. This class of juniors and seniors participated in camps, winter programs and personalized lessons. We were blessed with a group of girls who play tennis as a primary sport. That makes a huge difference. They take it much more seriously and their results proved it.”
As the seniors get ready to graduate and leave a very successful legacy behind them Hamer is “expecting great things from this team in the future. The rising seniors are extremely talented. We are going to miss the girls, Coach Quinn and Coach DeBellis. We are all so close and it is going to be hard not competing alongside the team.”
Coach Quinn and Assistant Coach Jeneani DeBellis have seen these ladies grow over the years and are excited about the future of Friar Tennis. Looking ahead the coaches stated “they are not afraid of the upcoming year with talent. We are already grooming different players to fill in our senior’s positions who are leaving. Losing 7 seniors will be an interesting challenge next season on our way to defending out league and state titles.
Alexa Whitton-Sosa s a freshman at Saint Anthony’s High School, writing for her first year at Friar Scoreboard. She is also a member of Saint Anthony’s track team.
