Preview: Tennis teams swing into gear in Boone County

BOONE COUNTY – The area is strong in high school tennis as usual. Here is a look at Boone County area teams, though not all coaches submitted requested information.

Boone County girls

Head coach Greg McQueary must replace six of the seven starters from last year including a three-year starter at No. 1 singles.

The lone returning starter is junior Amy Caldwell, who moves to first singles after playing second singles last season.

Top players coming in start with seniors Mary Andrikus and Sami Hare; juniors Megan Combs, Chelsea Williams and Teany Herrera; and sophomores Rachel Utz and Julie Volpenhein.

Conner boys

Seniors Casey Garnett and Jacob Eberhard lead a deep and veteran team. They made it to state in doubles last year, winning one match.

Cooper boys/girls

The Jaguars were 7-6 last season, the first winning record in team history.

Head coach Wayne Griffith returns five starters in Emily Jackson, Sarah Goodrich, Erin Mogus, Sydney Newport and Kelsey Zimmer. Others to watch start with Shelby Large and Ellie Day.

Goodrich and Mogus played doubles last year and are a combined 8-1 in singles this season so far (Goodrich 4-1, Mogus 4-0). Cooper graduated two key singles players from a year ago.

Senior Jake Honschopp leads the boys team. He was an all-region player last year and one of six seniors listed on the roster. Numbers are deep, with 20 players listed.

Ryle boys

The Raiders were 14-2 last year for head coach Amy Bates, who has been head coach for eight years.

Top players this year start with Davis McNichol, Max O’Leary, Kurtis Kalbaugh, Luke Hawtrey, Austin Youngblood, David Geis and Drake Hudak.

Ryle girls

Stephen Collins returns as head coach in his sixth season.

He returns Carley Lucas, who was the first Ryle player to win a match in the state girls singles tournament. She lost to the fifth seed in the next round. Other returning starters are Quinn Kalbaugh, Megan Guard and Hannah Worley.

Other players to watch start with Caroline Stuhr, Chelsi Fry and Camille Knott.

Collins said he has a mix of veteran starters and talented young players as the Raiders try to build on their 18-3 record from 2013.

Ryle hosts Boone County April 17 and Cooper April 18.

St. Henry boys/girls

The Crusaders have seven seniors listed on their boys roster. One of them, Daniel Schultz, is off to a 5-1 start at first singles.

Elizabeth Brennan Hasken returns for her seventh year as head coach. She has the Crusaders off to a 5-1 record through April 10.

Returning starters are Kelsey Humpert, Anna Rowland, Kara Crowe, Heidi Deters and Gail Marcos. Other players to watch start with Audrey North and Gretchen Meiman.

St. Henry plays at Highlands April 24, against Ryle April 25 and at Beechwood April 26.