Powerhouse Palmetto: Loaded again on boys’ side; girls have gaps to fill
The Palmetto Panthers boys’ tennis program, which has won seven state titles overall — including three in the past five seasons — is loaded once again.
Senior Alessio Guarino, who has signed to play college tennis at Mount St. Mary’s (located in Maryland), couldn’t crack Palmetto’s lineup until last year, when the Panthers won state.
In his first two years of high school, Guarino was blocked from the starting lineup by his older brother
Adriano.
This year’s Palmetto squad is led by junior Stefan Correa, who advanced to the state semifinals as an individual last year.
“His goal is to win the team and the individual state championships,” said Kelly Gibson, who coaches the boys’ and girls’ teams. “It’s tough because he was playing four matches a day in 100-degree heat at state last year.”
Correa has gotten even better since last season, recently winning a statewide 18-under tournament.
“That was impressive,” Guarino said of Correa’s accomplishment. “He’s just so consistent.”
Palmetto’s other starters are senior Matteo Sama, junior Mike Larionov and freshman Beau Gibson, a top 16-and-under player and the son of the coach.
Kelly Gibson believes this is her best boys’ team since winning state in 2018 and ’19. Beyond her top five this season, Gibson has quality depth such as freshman
Ben Montana and sophomore Paul Sasso.
The girls’ team, which also won state last year, has taken some serious hits in the offseason.
For example, junior Ameia Sorey, who also won an individual state title last year, likely won’t return to Palmetto’s team because she is aiming toward a possible pro career. Unless she has a change of heart, she will instead play in elite-level ITF tournaments.
Aside from Sorey, the girls’ team also lost two more starters who have instead decided to play pro pickleball: Brooke Rezuelta and Alexa Schull.
“As much as I’m going to miss them, I want what’s best for the girls,” Gibson said. “Ameia is going to do big things in tennis, and Brooke and Alexa are traveling all over the world playing pickleball.”
Given those departures, Palmetto’s top girls’ player this year figures to be senior Mia Sorrentino, who recently signed with Babson College, an NCAA Division III school in Massachusetts.
Sorrentino, who plans to study entrepreneurship and marketing at Babson, played No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles last year.
Now, she takes one giant step up in the rotation.
Below her in the pecking order are the Chellas sisters — junior Madeline, who is very consistent; and freshman Camile, who has a big lefty game. Senior Ariana Gil and junior Sophia Jaruata are the other starters.
“We have a solid lineup,” Sorrentino said. “If we stick together, we have the potential to win a majority of our matches.”