Freshmen among area players advancing at state

MASON — An infusion of talented young players has significantly improved the central Ohio high school tennis landscape this fall.

The latest evidence came Friday during the opening round of the state tennis tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

Centennial’s Zoey Weil was the lone player in Division I or II singles and doubles to advance to a semifinal last season, but she has plenty of company this year.

Weil will be joined by two other singles players and one doubles team in the second day of competition, which will include semifinals, championships and consolation matches. Three of Saturday’s competitors are freshmen.

Weil is a junior who won a sectional title but was forced to withdraw from the district final against Pickerington North’s Cassie Alcala because of a back injury.

“I’m glad I have the opportunity to come back,” Weil said. “I’m looking to win the title.”

In Division I singles semifinals, Weil will play Rocky River Magnificat’s Anna Roggenburk and Alcala will face Mason’s Ananya Aggarwal.

Weil opened with a 6-1, 6-1 win over BrecksvilleBroadview Heights’ Mia Zivkovic but had to rally for a 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Mason’s Jaime Kim.

Alcala, a sophomore, opened with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Medina Highland’s Emily Hadler and beat Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame’s Kelli Niehaus 7-5, 6-3 to advance to a semifinal.

“When you’re at state you’re always nervous, but I felt like I played well,” Alcala said. “I feel like I’m a little more familiar with the place and what to expect this year.”

Also in Division I, the Olentangy Liberty doubles team of freshmen Maddie Atway and Dani Schoenly advanced with wins over Mason’s Sanjana Reddy and Nicole Reid 7-5, 7-6 (3) and Green’s Anne Zivick and Maria Zivick 6-3, 6-4. Last season, the Zivick sisters were state runners-up.

“We were very aggressive at the net and communicated well with each other,” Schoenly said.

Also making it to the second round in Division I were Watterson’s Claire Ghidotti and Olentangy’s Kathleen Jones as well as the Upper Arlington doubles team of Evelyn Holman and Wendy Shi.

In Division II, Columbus Academy freshman Sydni Ratliff beat Cincinnati Indian Hill’s Samantha Pregel and Poland Seminary’s Marisa Ricciardi by 6-0, 6-0 scores. She will face Cincinnati Summit Country Day’s Elizabeth Fahrmeier in a semifinal.

“I thought my forehand was working really well and my serves won a lot of points,” Ratliff said. “Being a freshman doesn’t even bother me because I’ve played in a lot of USTA events.”

Academy’s doubles team of senior Georgia Tuckerman and junior Himaja Reddy lost in the second round.

The area’s other Division I representatives were Upper Arlington’s doubles team of freshmen Ella Hazelbaker and Noah Mizer and Liberty seniors Cellini Ko and Lexi Steer, who each lost in the first round.