HUGHESTOWN — Kierstin Grillo, Anna Thomas and Lauren Carey have played large roles in leading Wyoming Area to the most successful stretch of girls tennis in school history.
The three experienced seniors are back to fill the singles spots and try to keep that trend moving.
Grillo and Thomas are starting for the fourth season. Carey is starting for the third.
“Right now, we’re still working on that,” fourth-year coach Tiffany Callaio said of whether Grillo, Thomas and Carey would remain in the 1-2-3 spots in order as they did a year ago. “They’ve been doing challenge matches all week so it’s going to be pretty difficult to determine who plays what position.”
Last season, they helped Wyoming Area to the best record in school history and a berth in the District 2 Class AA playoffs.
The Warriors went 11-2 for the third-best record among the 14 Wyoming Valley Conference teams. They lost, 3-2, to North Pocono in the District 2 team quarterfinals.
The third-place finish continued the climb one season after Wyoming Area went 7-6 for its first winning record ever.
“Last year, we had a great year,” Callaio said. “ … If my four girls who are back really take charge and really do well, we should have another great year.”
Sophomore Allison Lampman is back after being part of the doubles lineup last year.
Senior Melanie Wrubel, junior Nina Minnelli and sophomores Lea Getz and Emily Cheskiewicz are in a four-way battle for the other three doubles spots.
Callaio expects the Warriors to have to take aim at the same two traditional powers, Class AA rivals Holy Redeemer and Wyoming Seminary, who had the top two teams in the entire WVC last year.
“It’s pretty much always Holy Redeemer and Seminary,” Callaio said. “Those two are the ones to see try to see how well we can do against.”
Wyoming Area is playing, and often practicing, at Pittston Area’s home courts in Hughestown this season because its courts are unplayable.
That has led to two schedule changes and the likelihood of at least two more.
The Warriors have moved home matches with Crestwood to August 28 and Wyoming Valley West to October 1. The Crestwood match becomes the regular-season opener.
