Amazing 2018 fall season for the Warwick Valley Girls Varsity Tennis Team

WARWICK — The Fall Tryouts started early this year: Aug. 13.
The JV and Varsity Tennis Teams held their tryouts accordingly, and the teams were formed. JV kept 23 athletes and the Varsity Team had 20 girls, with 14 seniors.
Playing for the Varsity Team as Singles were Sammy Killin #1, Gabby Donohue #2, Alexandra Krasinska #3, and Amelia Pizza #4. The Doubles Teams were Ava Ghobadian and Stephanie Menoutis #1, Ashley Emanuel and Jacqueline Smith #2, and Lexi Cleary and Rita Spain #3.
The Exhibition part of the Team was: Nadia Fayed, Danielle Goldbaum, Rachel Goldbaum, Maria Klysko, Natalie Parashiv, Miko Cianfracco, Alyse Frantzen, Briana Lawrence, Jessie Schaechinger and Mack Baird.
Division 2 TitleThe girls had to deal with the incredible heat index and rain outs throughout the season. They played hard for the team, and for the third consecutive year, won the Division 2 Title of the OCIAA League.
They had a terrific record of 12-2. The Division 2 Title was captured at Cornwall by 4th Singles player Amelia Pizza in a 2 1/2 hour match against Jessica Wu of Cornwall.
Amelia knew it was an important match, as it was league, and that was all she needed to know. Amelia was determined to beat her Cornwall opponent, losing to her, just two weeks prior.
Clinching the Division also meant that many of the girls qualified for the OCIAA Tournament, which was held at Match Point Tennis in Goshen, on October 10-12.
Sammy Killin and Gabby Donohue were going as the Warwick Wild Card for the team. Both girls qualified as Singles for the tournament, but decided with Coach Filingeri, they would have a terrific chance of progressing to Sections and States, as they played prior to this season as the #2 Doubles Team for two years.
Alexandra Krasinska qualified as a Singles player, as did the Doubles Teams of Ava Ghobadian and Stephanie Menoutis, 14-0 for the Season, and Ashley Emanuel and Jacqueline Smith 9-5.
The OCIAA TournamentThe OCIAA Tournament was fantastic. On the first day of the tournament Killin/Donohue and Ghobadian/Menoutis qualified for the Section 9 Tournament, and made it to the Semi-Finals Round.
Defeating NFA and Washingtonville respectively, on Oct. 12, the Final Match was set: two Warwick Teams. Killin/Donohue prevailed throughout the match against their teammates, winning the Finals (6-0, 6-4).
In the Consolation Round, Washingtonville outlasted NFA (6-2, 6-3).
All four teams were onto the Section 9 Tournament the following week; however, it was a double header for Warwick, and it was a glorious win.
Section 9 TournamentThe Section 9 Tournament was once again held at Match Point Tennis. The event was held on Oct. 18 and 19. Here the two leagues of Section 9, OCIAA and MHAL, meet each other for the first time, vying for the State Championships, where only the top three of both singles and doubles qualify.
Warwick’s Team of Killn/Donohue were seeded #1, as the winners of the OCIAA, Jaros/DelSalto of Marlboro were seeded #2, as the winners of MHAL, Ghobadian/Menoutis, Warwick’s second team, was seeded #3, and Ma/Li from Spackenkill were seeded #4.
DeterminationGhobadian/Menoutis were the only pure Doubles Team in the top four, as the other teams were all Wild Cards (Singles Players). From the Round of 16 the top four seeds progressed to the second day of play and to the semifinal round. At this time, match play has regular scoring, and no sudden death, as is played throughout the Season.
Two years ago, and last year, Sammy Killin and Gabby Donohue lost in the quarter finals and the semifinals round, to their teammates.
They were determined, worked and trained hard, and hardly faltered in their quest for the Section 9 Title.
Making it into the semifinal round they lost only 1 game. In the semifinal, they played the #4 Seed, beating them, (6-0, 7-5).
On the other Doubles court, Ghobadian/Menoutis were playing Marlboro, the #2 seed. This match lasted 2 and 1/2 hours, with many deuces back and forth.
The scores were (6-3, 3-6,6-2), with the Marlboro team outlasting Warwick.
Yet the teams were not done. The finals had to be determined and the Consolation Round as well. Only the top three winners progress to States, run by New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
Once again, the team of Killin/Donohue played without any fear. They executed their shots amazingly well, which seemed almost effortless against their opponents from Marlboro.
Playing for approximately 38 minutes they crushed Marlboro(6-0, 6-2), clearly showing their tennis and athletic skills, continuously being able to self-correct, if they made an error (and there were only a few).
And on the other court, Ghobadian/Menoutis, put it all out there. Playing their game, and playing “smarter, not harder,” unless the moment was right, they sailed to victory, (6-3, 6-3), coming in third and being able to join their teammates at States. A first time ever for Warwick.
Team and familyWhat an amazing season: Division 2 Champs; County Champs; and Section 9 Champs. All four athletes attained their original goals, set at the beginning of the season.
Teammates were very supportive and helped in the girls’ progress and wins, as did their Coaches Filingeri and Zwart, and their extremely supportive families.
There is no “I“ in team and the Warwick Varsity Girls Tennis Team is truly that and more: it is a family.