Carlynton welcomes Bishop Canevin for girls tennis co-op

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 5, 2017 | 12:21 AM

Bishop Canevin and Carlynton tend to be fierce rivals. From basketball to soccer to baseball, a win means bragging rights.

But when the girls tennis players take to the court this season, there will be no rivalry. They will be teammates.

Because of declining numbers, the Crusaders will now compete with the Cougars. Both the Carlynton swim and wrestling teams already have co-ops with Bishop Canevin.

“It is a no-brainer for me,” Carlynton coach Dave Bender said. “You always want more players to come out. Last year, we only had seven girls on the roster. We had a shortened lineup sometimes.”

The returning Cougars will be led by junior Julie Carothers. Bender described her as a patient player with a solid foundation.

“She got a lot of time at the No. 2 singles spot last season,” Bender said. “She has been training through the year with lessons at the (Western Area YMCA). I have seen her in a few matches. She will step up this year.”

Junior Phoebe Appel is expected to see an extended role after playing third singles and doubles last year. Seniors Irina Lutsiv and Hannah Stack also return.

But from there, Carlynton is facing a lot of unknowns. The team is expecting to add a handful of players from Bishop Canevin and is waiting to see if any younger players will join the program.

The Cougars will need to be ready to compete in the loaded Section 4-2A. It is home to several successful private schools, including Sewickley Academy, a program that finished as the WPIAL champion or runner-up six of the last seven seasons.

Bender said his goal will be to see the program continue to grow and evolve into being a contender for a WPIAL playoff spot.

“I really want to see the team finish at .500 this season,” Bender said. “I also want us to be playing our best tennis at the end of the year.”

Chartiers Valley

Junior Kara Joseph returns as the Colts' No. 1 singles player after suffering an injury last season. Joseph brings some experience to the court as she works out a lot during the offseason.

“She plays a lot during the offseason at Glen Creek and takes lessons and goes to clinics,” CV coach Diane Daeschner said. “She is a calm presence on the court. She never lets her emotions get the best of her.”

The team also returns Michelle Waters, a senior expected to play second singles. When Joseph was out of the lineup last season, Waters moved from third to second singles. Senior Gabby Grayson is expected to play third singles. From there, the team will need to rely on girls who played at the junior varsity level last season.

Section 4-3A should be a challenge for Chartiers Valley as it is home to some of the most successful WPIAL programs, including Peters Township, Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair. With a tough schedule ahead of them, the Colts are looking for a solid finish to a year with some success in the individual tournaments.

“As a team, I would like to go .500,” Daeschner said. “As far as individually, I would like to see (Joseph) qualify for WPIALs this year. I think she can make the top four in the section and quality for WPIALs.”

Nathan Smith is a freelance writer.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Carlynton, Chartiers Valley