The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
All-Stars picked for girls tennis, golf, boys golf
Westlake’s Emma Peeler, right, is the girls tennis Player of the Year and Rocky River’s Roni Shin and Avon Lake’s Paighton Masterson are Golfers of the Year as more AllStar teams are announced.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emma Peeler Westlake, junior If you haven’t heard of Emma Peeler by now, you have not been paying attention. The twotime defending Morning Journal Player of the Year advanced to her third state tournament this season, posting a 27-6 record along the way. Of those six losses, three came to state qualifiers, with two of those coming at the hands of state champion Anna Roggenburk of Magnificat. However, Peeler’s wins were just as impressive, as she beat six state qualifiers throughout a season that saw her win the Southwestern Conference first singles title as well as a sectional and district runner-up finishes. At state, she had a rough first-round draw against Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame’s Kelli Niehaus, falling 6-4, 6-4. However, the dominance and success of Peeler not just this year, but over the course of her Demons’ career cannot be denied, which is why she finds herself a three-time Morning Journal Player of the Year. Find out more in a video interview on MorningJournal.com.
— Jon Behm
COACH OF THE YEAR
Saumil Jhaveri Westlake There is no doubt that Westlake had a talentladen team this year. However, talent alone does not always mean success. It takes a coach who knows where to position the talent to achieve the maximum amount of success. That is what Jhaveri did. He managed the team well, leading the Demons to a third straight Southwestern Conference title. His best management came in the postseason, when he combined second singles player Ashley Michelich with third singles player Demi Jhaveri. The duo responded and took fourth in Division I at the state tournament, enjoying the trip with fellow state qualifier Emma Peeler.
FIRST TEAM
(In alphabetical order)
Sarah Robertson, Jr, Rocky River
Went 17-3 during the regular season at first
singles. She was named the Great Lakes Conference MVP after winning the first singles championship for the third year in a row. Qualified for state, she fell in the first round to Mason’s Ananya Aggarwal, who took forth place in Division I. Took third at district, losing in a semifinal to eventual state champion Anna Roggenburk of Magnificat.
Demi Jhaveri, Jr., Westlake
Went 24-9 during the regular season while bouncing between second and third singles. Made the transition to doubles for the postseason, teaming with Ashley Michelich to place fourth in Division I.
Ashley Michelich, Jr., Westlake
Went 25-7 during the regular season while bouncing between second and third singles. Made the transition to doubles for the postseason, teaming with Demi Jhaveri to place fourth in Division I.
Ally Cui, Jr., Lake Ridge
Cui became the first girls singles district qualifier
at Lake Ridge in 20years when she placed fourth at the Oberlin sectional. The junior lost in the first round of the district to eventual state qualifier Irene Norman of CVCA.
Helen Priemer, Sr., Bay
Took the hard road at the Division I Oberlin sectional, starting in the first round and winning four matches to advance to the quarterfinals.
Hope Wilhelm, Sr., Avon Lake
The senior advanced to the Division I Oberlin sectional quarterfinals before losing to eventual state qualifier and fellow first team member Sarah Robertson.
Becca Waltos, Sr., Elyria Catholic
Going 7-5 during the regular season, Waltos showed continual improvement, taking fifth at LCAAA in first singles before going on a run in the postseason to the Division II Rocky River sectional quarterfinals.
Brianna Tomko, Sr., Avon Lake
Went 19-4 during the season, with her only losses coming to Player of the Year Emma Peeler and fellow first team members Sarah Robertson and Helen Priemer. At LCAAA, the senior claimed the first singles championship.
SECOND TEAM
(In alphabetical order) Victoria Collins, Jr., Elyria Catholic: Went 7-5, placing second in the Great Lakes Conference at third singles. Advanced to the third round of the D-II Rocky River sectional before losing to eventual state qualifier Nicole Gillinov of Hathaway Brown. Amaya Kender, Jr., Elyria Catholic: Split time between singles and doubles, going 9-0 in singles competition and 5-3 in doubles. Took third at LCAAA in second doubles with Paige Smith, advancing to the second round of the D-II Rocky River sectional with Smith. Grace Sullivan, Sr., Rocky River: Advanced to the D-I Oberlin sectional quarterfinals with partner Sophie Krebs. Sophie Krebs, Sr., Rocky River: Advanced to the D-I Oberlin sectional quarterfinals with partner Grace Sullivan.
Amber Dinchman, Jr., Westlake: Advanced to the D-I Oberlin sectional quarterfinals with partner Deena Ali before falling to Magnificat’s duo of Olivia Rondini and Alexandra Vesikallio, who placed third at state.
Deena Ali, Sr., Westlake: Advanced to the D-I Oberlin sectional quarterfinals with partner Amber Dinchman before falling to Magnificat’s duo of Olivia Rondini and Alexandra Vesikallio, who placed third at state. Lauryn Leslie, So., Fairview: Advanced to the third round of the D-II Rocky River sectional. Carrollyn Judge, Jr., Amherst: Advanced to the third round of the D-I Oberlin sectional.
HONOR ROLL
Amherst: Kimmy Newton; Avon: Lauren Vajentic; Avon Lake: Lilly Jach; Bay: Mary Fenner, Melina Topp; Elyria: Klair Barr; Elyria Catholic: Paige Smith; Fairview: Dlenya Iwais; Lake Ridge: Sarah Freeman; Midview: Tessa Pickering; North Olmsted: Autumn Mellino; North Ridgeville: Sara Perkowski; Olmsted Falls: Ellie Goetz; Rocky River: Lauren Hickey; Vermilion: Macy Boger; Westlake: Sophie Ricaurte