Knoch has new leadership, but same championship core
Cherry Bharati played under one legendary coach in high school and was on the staff of another.
“I have definitely been lucky,” Bharati said. “I also trained at Pennsylvania Tennis Academy, which produced a lot of excellent tennis players, so I feel like I have a pretty good tennis pedigree.”
Bharati cut her teeth as a player learning from North Allegheny coach Michelle Weniger. She was a member of North Allegheny’s 2008 Class 3A state championship team her senior year. For the past three seasons, she coached with Whitney Snyder at Sewickley Academy and helped guide the Panthers to the 2021 WPIAL Class 2A title and back-to-back state championship appearances in 2021 and 2022.
Now Bharati, a North Allegheny alum, will have the opportunity to lead a team of her own as she takes over the reins of the Knoch girls team from Nance Conlon, who retired from coaching.
“I think it’s really cool that I get this experienced group of girls, especially coming in here in my rookie year as a head coach,” Bharati said. “We have a really experienced and a really hungry team that knows how to compete at the highest level.”
Conlon certainly didn’t leave the cupboard bare on her way out the door.
Knoch is the reigning WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A champion and also won both crowns in 2020. The Knights are loaded again this season as the team lost only one player, Ally Bauer at No. 2 singles, to graduation.
Returning are the No. 1 and No. 3 singles players, twin seniors Emily and Lindsey Greb, who won WPIAL and state championships in doubles two years ago. Last season, Lindsey teamed with Bauer to win the WPIAL doubles title.
All six returning starters from last year’s squad are seniors. The Knights are certainly the favorite to win the WPIAL 2A title again. The tennis season for all teams in Pennsylvania begins Monday.
“This is a team that knows what it’s like to travel and put in the time and put in the hours,” Bharati said. “I’m sure they’ll all be up to the task.”
Bharati got to know Knoch intimately while an assistant at Sewickley Academy. The two teams met in the WPIAL championship each of the past six years, with the Panthers owning a 4-2 advantage.
She was also on the losing end of the Knights’ 4-1 victory against Sewickley Academy in the state final.
Coaching against her former boss could be interesting, to say the least.
“Honestly, I’m really excited about it,” Bharati said. “Whitney has been a fantastic mentor for me. I wish nothing but the best for him, and I obviously have a relationship with the girls at Sewickley Academy and wish nothing but the best for them as well.”
It’s not like beating her old team – if it comes to that – will be a walk in the park. Sewickley Academy also has six starters back from last season, including the 2021 WPIAL Class 2A singles champion in senior Ashley Close.
In addition, juniors Kirsten Close and Rayna Thakkar were the WPIAL doubles runners-up in 2022 and will likely be the Panthers’ No. 2 and No. 3 singles players.
Class 3A
Mt. Lebanon waited a long time to win its 15th team title to tie Upper St. Clair for the all-time WPIAL record. But it may not take the 32 years it took between their previous and most recent titles for the Blue Devils to notch No. 16.
It could, in fact, occur quickly — like this year.
Mt. Lebanon returns six of its seven starters from the 2022 unit that defeated North Allegheny for the title. Included are its top three singles players in senior Sophia Cunningham, junior Jessie Yang and sophomore Jackie Tang.
North Allegheny will have a challenge replacing two of its top three singles players but will have senior Sara Fernandez back at the top of the ladder.
In singles, though, everyone will be chasing PennTrafford sophomore Amelia Williams, who returns as the reigning champion. She will be attempting to join Latrobe alum Michaela Kissell (200304), who was the last to win the title as both a freshman and a sophomore.