Meet the top 24 high school girls tennis players from the SouthCoast to watch in 2024
SouthCoast girls tennis teams feature a ton of experience and talent this spring with the return of 11 of the area’s top 15 players from a year ago.
Not only is 2023 Standard-Times Girls Tennis Player of the Year, Bishop Stang’s Lexy Wynn, back, so are Super Teamers — Fairhaven’s Elizabeth DaCunha, Bishop Stang’s Katherine Johnson and Old Rochester’s Neva Matos and Macy Ingham. Wareham’s Brooklyn Bindas, a three-time Standard-Times Girls Tennis Player of the Year, is back and healthy after being plagued with a hip injury last spring.
Here’s a look at the top 24 SouthCoast girls tennis players to watch in 2024:
APPONEQUET
The veteran Lakers have six returning juniors, including their top three singles players, No. 1 Kohana Fontinha, No. 2 Brynn McLaughlin and No. 3 Jillian Maher, as they look to contend for the South Coast Conference title. “Her strengths are her athleticism, her serve, and her stroke proficiency,” said Apponquet head coach Ken Lanyon of Fontinha. “(Brynn) has worked hard in the offseason to improve her game. Her strengths are her quickness, her command of her strokes and her tenacity. (Jillian) looks to improve her overall game, she also has many strengths.”
BISHOP STANG
Overall numbers are a little down for Bishop Stang, which fields 11 players, a drop from 16 a year ago, but the Spartans feature plenty of experience and talent with the return of their top three singles players from last year’s team that reached the Div. 2 state semifinals. No. 1 Lexy Wynn, a senior, No. 2 Katherine Johnson, a sophomore, and No. 3 Sarah Pothier, a senior, will look to once again lead Bishop Stang as it hopes to defend its Catholic Central League championship and make another tournament run. “The three singles players are the top players and are all coming off stellar years during which they led us to an undefeated season, the championship in the Catholic Central League, the No. 1 seeding in the postseason tournament, and a spot in the state semifinals where we lost to the two-time state champion,” said Bishop Stang head coach John Sargent. “During the regular season last year, Lexy was 16-2, Katherine 18-0, and Sarah 16-1. They are tough, seasoned competitors, who will lead the way for us again this year.” The key for Stang reaching its lofty goals will be the emergence of its doubles play after graduating three undefeated doubles players from last year.
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DARTMOUTH
On a young team, Dartmouth will be led by a pair of seniors in Adeline Ablett and Julia Caron at first doubles and a pair of sophomores in No. 1 Annica Dupre and No. 2 Camille Taradash as the team’s top returning players from a year ago. “Annica Dupre has great vision of the court and loves to play on the attack,” said Dartmouth head coach Maggie Fry. “Lefty Camille Taradash is equally strong with her forehand and backhand. Senior captains Adeline Ablett and Julia Caron are playing together for their third season and you can see the chemistry. They both play great at the net and are so fun to watch.”
FAIRHAVEN
Fairhaven head coach Tara Costa has high hopes for the season with the return of her top two singles players — No. 1 Elizabeth DaCunha, a senior, and No. 2 Sabrina Zheng, a senior — and the transition of Olivia Darmofal, a senior, moving from first doubles to third singles this year. “I believe that we have good strength in singles and our doubles teams will continue to develop throughout the season,” Costa said. “They don't have as much experience but are working hard to learn and grow. I think we can compete for a top spot in our conference again and I would like to make a deep run in the tournament after having a very successful postseason last year.” Costa said that both DaCunha and Zheng have been top players in Fairhaven’s lineup since their freshmen year. “They have both had winning seasons every year,” Costa said. “Both are well-rounded tennis players who understand how to strategically play the game. DaCunha brings a variety of shots and grit while Zheng has a competitive instinct to win points aggressively.”
NEW BEDFORD
The Whalers have an experienced group with the return of eight players, including four seniors. As a junior last year, Emma Gibney put together a 16-2 record at first singles on the way to being named a Southeast Conference All-Star. She’ll lead the Whalers once again along with senior Jalysa Noriega and junior Addison Teixeira. “Their athleticism, determination and team spirit all contribute to their success on our team,” said New Bedford head coach Andrew Richards. “Our goal, as it is every year, is to improve our skills as tennis players and to promote a fun and productive team environment.”
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OLD ROCHESTER
The veteran Bulldogs are looking to build on last year’s run to the Div. 3 Elite 8 with the return of four key contributors from 2023 in seniors Mari Sudofsky and Macy Ingham, junior Liz Houdelette and sophomore Neva Matos. For the second straight year, Matos will play first singles for ORR. “Neva was a dominant player as a freshman last season and looks to repeat her strong record,” said Old Rochester head coach Kyle Noseworthy, noting that Matos was the SCC MVP as a freshman. “One thing that makes her strong is her mental fortitude as well as aspirations to play in college.” Ingham, an SCC All-Star last year at first doubles, will play second singles. “She now hopes to maintain her spot as an all-star but in singles,” Noseworthy said. “Macy is a tough competitor and uses her doubles skills to put points away at the net in singles.” Houdelette and Sudofsky are back together at first doubles. “This year they will start the season at first dubs and hope to continue building as partners,” Noseworthy said. “They are a strong team together due to past experience and a natural chemistry on the court.”
WAREHAM
The Vikings will look to contend for the Mayflower Athletic Conference title and make a run in the MIAA playoffs with a healthy Brooklyn Bindas, a three-time Standard-Times Girls Tennis Player of the Year, and the return of seniors Julia McDuffy and Stoney Ferry and junior Evie Francis. No. 1 Bindas, No. 2 McDuffy and No. 3 Ferry round out singles play while Francis will play first doubles. “Brooklyn Bindas is one of the top high school players in the state and will be playing for Tufts next year, which is one of the top Division III teams in the country,” said Wareham head coach Geoff Swett. “Julia McDuffy and Stoney Ferry are very consistent, intelligent, and competitive players who have grown tremendously over their many years on the team. Evie Francis, one of the top volleyball players on the SouthCoast, has transferred her great athleticism to the tennis courts. She has an excellent first serve, dominates the net, and very strong and consistent groundstrokes.”
OTHERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Jolie Decas, Apponequet; Sophia El-Gadi, Apponequet; Emma Lahane, Apponequet; Lila Nielsen, Apponequet; Emily Pavao, Apponequet; Noella Canastra, Bishop Stang; Holly Eyre, Bishop Stang; Lilly Manning, Bishop Stang; Mary Grace Russo, Bishop Stang; Mary Claire Walsh, Bishop Stang; Ava Dusoe, Dartmouth; Lily Melo, Dartmouth; Sophia Rutkowski, Dartmouth; Maddy Gamelin, Fairhaven; Emily Giammalvo, Fairhaven; Caroline Huston, New Bedford; Duyen Le, New Bedford; Cassie Martins, New Bedford; Lauren Mitchell, New Bedford; Maria Oliveira, New Bedford; Megha Patel, New Bedford; Piper Reis, New Bedford; Zadie Goyette, Old Rochester; Emily Wyman, Old Rochester; Nevaeh Smith, Wareham; Julia Statkus, Wareham.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 2024 SouthCoast high school girls tennis players to watch and outlooks
