Girls tennis preview: Highland leads county

Ten and 500 are the key numbers when it comes to Medina County girls tennis in 2025. Highland will be gunning for its 10th straight Suburban League American Conference title under 23rd-year coach Lisa Reynolds. In 2026, the Hornets will begin competing in the SL National, where they will have to contend with fellow tennis powers Hudson and Solon. Reynolds, meanwhile, is closing in on a career milestone. Also coach of the Highland boys program, which won its first SL American crown in the spring, she owns a combined record of 495-244, leaving her five victories shy of 500 for her illustrious career. Reynolds has been Gazette Coach of the Year for girls tennis 11 times and five times for boys tennis. Medina, which has two solid veterans and some promising new players, will be out to defend its Greater Cleveland Conference title, while Brunswick, which had two key veterans elect not to play tennis, will look to improve upon a fourth-place finish. Rebuilding Cloverleaf will try to duplicate its third-place finish in the Metro Athletic Conference, while Wadsworth, which has a new coach in John Hutchinson, will be rebuilding after a fourth-place finish in the SL National. Here's a look at the five county teams: Brunswick Coach: Kevin Naugle (3rd season). Last year: 14-8 overall, 2-3 in GCC (4th). Key letterwinners lost to graduation: None. Letterwinners: Julianna Ulm (1st singles, so.), Alexis Markowski (2nd singles, sr.), Kate Staunton (3rd singles, sr.), Ava Kish (1st doubles, sr.). Newcomers: Ella Kaetzel (1st doubles, jr.), Ashwika Ayyagari (2nd doubles, sr.), Reese Meehan (2nd doubles, sr.), Valerie Markowski (doubles, so.). Noteworthy: The Blue Devils suffered a big hit when returning first singles player Sofia Droz, who went 14-8 and earned honorable mention All-Gazette honors last year as a junior, decided not to play tennis. Ava Daddario also elected not to play, meaning Brunswick will be minus two of its top four players. l Ulm, who was 23-8 while bouncing between singles and doubles as a freshman, played a ton in the high school offseason and will man the first singles spot, while Alexis Markowski (18-13 at doubles) will play No. 2. Cloverleaf Coach: Nicole D'Amico (3rd season). Last year: 7-13 overall, 6-4 in MAC (3rd). Key letterwinners lost to graduation: None. Letterwinners: Stella Elkevizth (singles, sr.), Desi Bohner (singles, sr.). Newcomers: Kinley Walters (singles or doubles, so.), Makayla Bergman (singles or doubles, jr.), Madeline Bazemore (doubles, jr.), Sage de Luna (doubles, jr.), Nina Spry (doubles, jr.), Vanessa Oakes (doubles, so.), Kaelyn Bazemore (doubles, so.). Noteworthy: Senior Mady Sweitzer, who would have been one of the team's three returning letterwinners, decided not to play. l The Colts will be rebuilding a bit but still have a solid shot of duplicating last season's third-place finish in the MAC, where Norton is seemingly always the favorite. Highland Coach: Lisa Reynolds (23rd season). Last year: 19-4 overall, 7-0 in SLAC (1st). Key letterwinners lost to graduation: Ally Haynes (2-time Gazette MVP, 3-time All-Gazette), Kenzie Pawlak (3-time All-Gazette, 1-time honorable mention), Wren Marquis (All-Gazette), Ella Tople (HM All-Gazette), Hailey Pennington (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Claire Schlak (2-time All-Gazette, 1st or 2nd singles, sr.), Lily Hantz (2-time All-Gazette, 1st or 2nd singles, jr.), Sarah Kelly (singles, sr.). Newcomers: Ava Tople (doubles, jr.), Elise Mancini (doubles, sr.), Alyssa Boucher (doubles, jr.), Vanessa Demming (doubles, sr.), Sophia Bublitz (doubles, so.). Noteworthy: The Hornets graduated five players who earned first-team or honorable mention All-Gazette honors in 2024, but Schlak (36-5 at 2nd singles) and Hantz (33-7 at 3rd singles and 1st doubles) give them two experienced players to build around. l Highland reached the semifinals of the Division I Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Tournament in 2024, joining 1988 Medina as the only county teams to reach that level. The event began in 1976. l Kelly was the best player on Highland's varsity "B" team, which finished 17-0 a year ago and beat a number of varsity teams. l Revere and Aurora are traditionally Highland's main challengers in the SL American. Medina Coach: Pete Hoffmann (21st season). Last year: 14-3 overall, 5-0 in GCC (1st). Key letterwinners lost to graduation: Megan Nuske (2-time All-Gazette, 1-time HM), Julia Kraft (HM All-Gazette), Hayden Rea (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Ashley Wallace (HM All-Gazette, 1st singles, sr.), M.J. Pimpo (2nd or 3rd singles, jr.), Sophia Young (doubles, sr.), Ruby Gabrielson (doubles, jr.). Newcomers: Emma Morse (2nd or 3rd singles, fr.), Veronika Janciova (doubles, jr.), Chase Kremer (doubles, jr.), Ella Bresler (doubles, jr.), Nellie Alber (doubles, jr.), Julianne Adams (doubles, jr.), Emily Darr (doubles, sr.), Natalie Bair (doubles, sr.). Noteworthy: In their last season in the GCC before joining what will be a very strong SL National Conference, the Bees have solid returning players in Wallace (16-12 at 2nd singles) and Pimpo (14-11 at 3rd singles) and promising newcomers in Morse and Janciova, whose family moved into the Medina district from Germany late last season. l The doubles teams will be new, but Hoffmann expects them to be solid, which should put Medina in position to defend its GCC title. Strongsville and Shaker Heights are expected to be the Bees' primary challengers. Wadsworth Coach: John Hutchinson (1st season). Last year: 11-8 overall, 3-4 in SLNC (4th). Key letterwinners lost to graduation: Lauren Ball (All-Gazette, 2-time HM All-Gazette), Sienna Lucci (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Brooke Pinkerton (singles or doubles, so.), Tessa Demiter (singles or doubles, so.), Eden Kapusinski (doubles, sr.), Bailey Blum (singles, jr.), Laney Ross (singles or doubles, sr.). Newcomers: Olivia Evans (singles, so.), Allison Loose (singles, jr.), Macey Milano (doubles, jr.), Julia Hartman (singles or doubles, so.). Noteworthy: Previously an assistant with the girls and also head coach of the boys team, Hutchinson takes over for 15-year coach Kristy Nichol. l The Grizzlies graduated their top two players in Ball and Lucci, so they will need some players to surface at the top of the lineup in the SL National, where Hudson and Solon are the favorites. Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4046 or rnoland@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @RickNoland on X.