Category Archives: Girls Tennis

Christian DiMartino, Girls Tennis, Peter Hyle, Sports

Girls’ tennis aims to beat their record

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By Peter Hyle and Christian DiMartino

This year the girls’ tennis team has worked to reach the goals set by last year’s team. With a record of 6-2, they aim to do just as well as they did last year. Despite losing many team mates the previous year due to graduation, the team is still going strong.

Junior Alexis Applegate and sophomore Alex Jamison practice before their match against Assumption. Photo by Peter Hyle
Junior Alexis Applegate and sophomore Alex Jamison practice before their match against Assumption. Photo by Peter Hyle

“Our team this year is working extremely well together. Everyone on the team has stepped up and done their part, and we’re still doing great despite the loss,” said junior Erin Patterson.

After last year’s success, everyone on the team has high hopes for what they can accomplish this year.

“I honestly think we have a great chance of making it to state again this season, as long as everyone on the team stays healthy and positive,” said senior Dana Frank.

To produce the kind of hard work and dedication that the team reached last year, everyone is doing their best to achieve their goals.

“I think that last year’s team was so successful because we had really strong team leaders who pushed us to do our absolute best,” said sophomore Kailyn Little, “and because of that we’re state runner-ups now.”

Everyone on the team is remaining positive and optimistic about the rest of their current season.

“Last year we finished second in state, which is actually the farthest any FC girls’ tennis team has gone before. It’s crazy to think about,” said Frank.

Even though the team is doing well so far this year, it is hard for everyone on the team to go through a season without the seniors that they lost last year.

“They impacted the team in so many ways. They were truly just role models to every girl on the team, and they were amazing players too. It was a hard transition after losing four of them. It felt like losing family members,” said Little.

Everyone on the team is optimistic about the future of this years’ team, looking past the loss and focusing on the strengths that the team still holds.

“They [the seniors] were a huge part of the team, but they weren’t the whole team. It was obviously tough losing them, but we’re excelling more than anyone thought we would this year without them,” said sophomore Alex Jamison.

 

Girls Tennis, Sports

Tennis team dives into the 2014 season

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By Melanie Parrish

Parents and friends alike cheer as sophomore Alex Jamison and junior Erin Patterson play doubles together against Columbus North in the tennis tournament on Saturday. Saturday’s tournament was the team’s first of the season.

“I think we’ve been doing pretty good,” said Patterson. “It’s a little different, because we had to start without our two best players.”

Both girls feel that the team will do well this year.

“With a lot of practices and matches, I think this season could turn out pretty good,” said Jamison.

“I believe we can get back to state this year,” Patterson added.

Coach James Markert also intends for the team to make a return appearance at state this season, for the fifth consecutive year.

“The last four years we’ve been in the top four teams in the state. I think we will this year, too,” he said.

The tennis team has made some changes in structure this year, as well as having fewer seniors.

“Last year we had a set goal, but this year, it’s all on the fly, which I like,” said Jamison.

The team, although having lost several All-State girls, has gained four new members.

“We have three new freshmen and our Italian foreign exchange student, Georgia. She’s awesome,” said Jamison. The new teammates have integrated well with the rest of the team.

“They get along really well,” said Patterson’s mother, Tami. “They have a really strong bond. I think they’ll do well this year.”

The tennis team’s next match is tomorrow (Tuesday, April 15) at home against New Albany.

Girls Tennis, Sports

Rising expectations give girls’ tennis team high hopes

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​By Rachel Lamb

Excitement filled FC’s girls tennis team last June when they brought home the title runner up in state. After accomplishing this, expectations started to rise for the upcoming season.

With conditioning already started and practice just around the corner, many  team members and their coach, James Markert, believe that going back to state again this year is possible.

“We definitely can make it back to state this year. Even though we lost a lot of experience and some of the best players to ever play tennis at FC last year,  we’ve still developed a program with some longevity,” said Markert.

Not only did the team lose some highly skilled players, but also four seniors.

Sophomore Callie Oaks shared her opinion on how losing the seniors is going to affect the team this year.

​”I think we depended on the upperclassmen too much last year and this year we need to learn to succeed without them.”

Even though this team is at a disadvantage with mostly underclassmen, there still are a few additions being made to the team.

“We’re adding a very talented exchange student, Giorgia Rossetto, who has already meshed wonderfully with the rest of the girls on the team,” said Markert.

Sophomore Emily Stock said having Rossetto is a sign of hope.

“We have a good team and especially now that we have Rossetto, I have faith that we can make it to state. ”

Another addition to the team are three freshmen that have been playing tennis since early middle school. The way that they have been preparing could lead the team to state.

“I have been playing with many of the girls for years and already have lots of experience with the coaches,” said freshman Madison Woosley.

Senior Dana Frank, who played on the number one doubles team last year, said that the team is ready.

“We’re on track for a spectacular season mainly because our team has a good deal of upside and all of us are working especially hard in areas that need heaps of improvement.”

Boys Tennis, Football, Girls Tennis, News, Patrick Prifogle

FC alumni board gives back to the community

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By Patrick Prifogle

One of the three major Alumni Board events of the year is coming up quickly. It is the annual Alumni Tailgating Event. It takes place on Friday, Sep. 13 at the football game. The Alumni board will be in a large tent, located beside the bleachers. Here, food and games will be offered to past Alumni graduates, and currently enrolled students.  They also offer a place for all FC graduates to meet up and reminisce about their high school careers.

“It’s a good place to see old friends, and eat good food from several vendors.When students graduate this let’s them keep in touch with the school ,” said Alumni Board Secretary Vicki Snow-Hayes.

Athletic Director Jeff Cerqueira explained the reasoning behind this event.

[Our goal] is to rekindle that excitement they used to have,”

 The Alumni Board is especially excited about the new scholarship program.

“We started last year with two scholarships, to qualify you need a 3.0 GPA or higher, you must be an active community helper, and the son or daughter of a FC alumni,” said Hayes.

Last year  one scholarship was given each to a boy and girl, worth 500 dollars.

The original purpose for the tailgate was to show off FC talent.

“We made alumni night to honor a certain group, this year it is the tennis team. We are honoring the boys tennis team, and last year’s state runner-up girl’s Tennis team,” said Hayes.

This is just one of three major events the Alumni board has each year. The other two, being the newly minted Winter Basketball Alumni night, and their biggest event of the year, the Hall of Fame Banquet.

“Our biggest annual event is the Hall of Fame banquet, in the spring, and we pick four or five people to add to the wall of fame,” said Hayes.

Cerqueira explained that most of the money is made at the Hall of Fame banquet through the silent auction and community sponsors.

The alumni board’s purpose  is to bring the school, and its graduates together in order to benefit the community.

“The fact that they are giving back to the community is what I’m most proud of,” said Alumni Board Officer Kristi Lomond. “We are just trying to set up a connection between students and alumni.”

To find out more about the Alumni Board, come out to the football game and talk to one of the board members.

Hayes had one last thing to say.

“Once you go to college you will understand what a wonderful school this is.”

Alyssa Book, Girls Tennis, Sports

Girls’ tennis prepares for upcoming tournament

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 By Alyssa Book

The girls’ tennis team is heating up at the right moment. Coming off a big win last weekend, the team is heading into this weekend’s tournament with confidence. The team faces another challenge Saturday at Zionsville High School, but is accepting it head on.

The team played the Crawforsville Invitational last weekend. The ending surprised senior Olivia Boesing and was an exciting win for the entire team.
“We won the tournament by one point. I think our strong point was our number 2 doubles team. They won their bracket 15-13 in a third set tie breaker. They really pulled through for us and we are really proud of them.”
Boesing and the rest of the team is now looking ahead to the Zionsville Invitiational this Saturday at 9 a.m. Boesing said two areas they need to focus on improving is their conditioning and mental toughness.
Sopomore Alexis Applegate has been playing 2 singles for the varsity team and hopes to win her position in Zionsvillle.
Applegate descibes last weekend’s big win as a motivator.
“It gave us a confidence boost and showed us how far we could go.”
Boesing’s goal for this weekend is too improve as much as they can.
“We have a few girls out this weekend due to illness and choir so our goal is just to improve this weekend. We are hoping to win, but that is not the most important thing.”
Senior doubles player Whitney Batliner has prepared for this weekend by working hard in practice and imporving each match she plays.
Batliner is using her senior leadership to help her teammates. She says she leads her team by pushing everyone to put forth their best effort.
Batliner has faith in her team and expresses what she thinks are major strenghths.
“Our postitive mindset [is our strength]. Although we are a younger team than we have been in the past, all the girls have stepped up to the plate and even pulled out some wins for us.”
As a senior, Boesing not only has goals for this weekend, but for the rest of her season as well.
“We want to win sectional and regional and then beat Jasper at semi-state. We are hoping to get as far as we can in the state tournament.”