Liberty’s girls doubles champs chase singles title
About a week before the seeding draw for the girls sectional tennis tournament, Olentangy Liberty teammates Maddie Atway and Dani Schoenly sat down with coach Will Thieman to discuss their postseason plans.
The juniors had worked well together in teaming to win Division I state doubles titles the past two seasons.
Schoenly was a bit surprised, then, to learn that Atway wished to forgo a potential three-peat and pursue singles in the tournament. Schoenly subsequently did the same.
“I would assume Maddie was just looking for a new challenge, and that’s fine,” Schoenly said. “I personally like doubles better because of the whole team aspect and all, but it’s OK. It will be a little different playing singles at the state, but we all play singles year-round, anyway.”
Atway could not be reached for comment. Thieman said he wasn’t privy to details regarding the decision.
“I wouldn’t say I was surprised,” he said. “I think they figure they’ve won it a couple times so it’s time to try something new. I think they both can make runs if they play well.”
If both win two state tournament matches Friday at Lindner Family Tennis Olentangy Liberty’s Dani Schoenly, who won state doubles titles the past two years with Maddie Atway, will compete in the state singles draw beginning Friday in Mason.
Center in Mason, Atway (16-2) and Schoenly (18-5) could meet in a semifinal. Atway beat Schoenly in a sectional final.
A three-time district champion, Pickerington North senior Cassie Alcala returns in hopes of avenging a disappointing first-round ouster in 2018. She was state runner-up as a sophomore.
“I’ve put that behind me, hopefully,” Alcala said. “I believe my game has progressed a lot each year and I feel like I’m playing my best tennis right now.”
Alcala (25-1) beat Atway in the district final, avenging her only defeat this season.
In doubles, seniors Catherine Wang and Reagan Resor of Dublin Jerome hope
to build on their district title. Wang made the quarterfinals in singles last year.
After breezing to a second straight district title, Columbus Academy junior Sydni Ratliff enters the Division II singles draw unbeaten yet again.
In 2017 and ’18, she advanced to the championship match only to lose to
Nicole Gillinov of Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown. Gillinov is trying to reach her fourth straight final.
“I’m really excited to go back and see what I can do,” Ratliff said. “I’ve incorporated more strength conditioning and lot more footwork into my game with the idea of coming forward more. I’ve learned a lot about my game and myself the past two years at state.
“I know Gillinov is really good, but there are other really good players on the bracket as well. I like to take things one point, one game, one match at a time. My ultimate goal, though, is to win the state.”
In doubles, sophomore Alexis Burkhalter and freshman Katie Zerbi of Wellington won the district title with a three-set win over Worthington Christian sisters Abby and Meghan Mayotte.