High school tennis preview: Graduation of Highland's Elijah Hadler leaves no clear-cut top local player

Highland three-sport standout Elijah Hadler set the standard for boys tennis in Medina County over the past three years, qualifying for the Division I state tournament a county record-tying three times and capturing three Gazette MVP awards. With Hadler now playing first singles and first doubles at NCAA D-III member Rose-Hulman, the 2024 season begins with no clear-cut top local netter. All-Gazette junior Luke Butcher, who won 12-of-17 matches at second singles, moves into pole position for the Hornets. Butcher spent two years as Hadler's understudy and saw some doubles work last year when coach Lisa Reynolds beefed up their non-league schedule. Medina senior Owen Alber has the strongest résumé entering the year, compiling a 9-5 record at first singles and advancing to the Springside D-I Sectional quarterfinals in 2023. Alber made the second-deepest tournament run in the county, falling one win shy of districts. The Bees have their entire seven-player lineup back, including third-year singles player Ian White at No. 2 and Ian Schroeter at No. 3, and will be a threat to Greater Cleveland Conference favorite Shaker Heights. The Raiders have rejoined the league, replacing defending champ Solon. Brunswick sophomore Tyler Berg captured the GCC third singles crown and topped the county with 14 victories at the position, setting him up for a strong career. He won six of his final seven matches as a sophomore, including his opener at the Springside Sectional. Wadsworth senior Michael Berube is coming off a breakthrough year that saw him oust the incumbent at first singles and win 6-of-16 matches there, while Cloverleaf senior Dhevan Sivapatham has two years of singles experience and went 13-5 last season. There is one out-of-uniform change of note, as Brunswick girls tennis coach Kevin Naugle takes over the boys from Gazette Coach of the Year Mark Merchant. Naugle served as an assistant last spring. Brunswick Coach: Kevin Naugle (1st season). Last year: 10-8 overall, 3-1 in Greater Cleveland Conference. Finished second at five-team GCC Tournament. Key letterwinner lost: Christian Droz (All-Gazette). Projected lineup: Tyler Berg (HM All-Gazette, so., first singles), Ben Kraft (jr., second singles), Nick Mahoney (fr., third singles), Sam Dalessandro (jr., first doubles), Andrej Devic (jr., first doubles), Andrew Bisesar (sr., second doubles), Blake Petish (so., second doubles). Noteworthy: Kraft and Petish exclusively played second doubles as rookies last season, posting a 9-13 record and winning their initial sectional contest. l The Blue Devils look to improve in county play after dropping 14-of-21 individual matches. Cloverleaf Coach: Mike McGee (15th season). Last year: 14-3 overall, 8-2 in Metro Athletic Conference. Finished second at six-team MAC Tournament. Key letterwinners lost: Carter Betts (All-Gazette), Matias Fuentes Silva (HM All-Gazette). Projected lineup: Dhevan Sivapatham (sr., first singles), Aidan Gruber (sr., second singles), Ronan Barcyzk (jr., third singles), Nathan Smith (first doubles), Joe Lightner (first doubles), Drew Baltic (second doubles), Drew Firebaugh (second doubles). Noteworthy: McGee is optimistic about his singles trio, saying, "They have vastly improved and are very close in ability, which makes for good quality matches." l Exchange student Fuentes Silva claimed the MAC second singles crown without losing a set. Highland Coach: Lisa Reynolds (20th season). Last year: 10-7 overall, 6-1 in Suburban League American Conference. Finished second at eight-team SL American Tournament. Key letterwinners lost: Elijah Hadler (Gazette MVP), Jayson Freas (HM All-Gazette). Projected lineup: Luke Butcher (jr., first singles, All-Gazette), Sawyer Sulzener (fr., second singles), Oliver Sverko (sr., third singles), Ian Schuler (sr., first doubles), Jared Bryan (fr., first doubles), Keaton Jones (fr., second doubles), Liam Wright (sr., second doubles), Colin Keeley (so., second doubles), Vedant Natarajan (jr., second doubles). Noteworthy: Two-year veteran Butcher and Sverko are the only returnees with singles experience, the latter playing five matches at the third spot as a junior. l The Hornets have a 24-player roster and will run full varsity, varsity B and junior varsity schedules. Medina Coach: Alison Snook (16th season). Last year: 7-5 overall, 2-2 in Greater Cleveland Conference. Finished third at five-team GCC Tournament. Key letterwinners lost: None. Projected lineup: Owen Alber (sr., first singles, All-Gazette), Ian White (sr., second singles, HM All-Gazette), Ian Schroeter (sr., third singles), Kirin Laribee (sr., first doubles), Wyatt McRitchie (jr., first doubles), Keegan Kraft (sr., second doubles), Konner Leyden (sr., second doubles), Christiaan Basson (so., second doubles), Dominic Takacs (sr., second doubles). Noteworthy: White picked up nine victories in 14 singles matches last season, while Schroeter compiled a 6-9 record seeing action everywhere except second doubles. l The Bees boast the largest program in the county with 33 athletes on the varsity and JV squads. Wadsworth Coach: John Hutchinson (2nd season). Last year: 9-6 overall, 3-3 in Suburban League National Conference. Finished fourth at seven-team SL National Tournament. Key letterwinner lost: Dylan Currens (HM All-Gazette). Projected lineup: Michael Berube (sr., first singles, All-Gazette), Tate Johnson (sr., second singles), Elijah Perry (sr., third singles), Dominic Gambaccini (sr., third singles), Vincent Gambaccini (so., doubles), Robert Beatty (so., doubles), Brandon Ball (fr., doubles). Noteworthy: Berube and third singlist Dominic Gambaccini both placed fourth at the SL National Tournament, while Johnson finished third in the second doubles draw. l The Grizzlies defeated Brunswick, Highland and Medina last spring by a combined 12-3 score. Contact Brian Dulik at sports@medina-gazette.com. Follow @BrianDulik on X.