Sports

JA Girls Tennis: Acing It On the Court

Sofia Nevala , Sports Editor

April 26, 2024

High School girls tennis season has arrived and the John Adams girls tennis team is off to a quick start. Playing four matches in the past two weeks alone, the team currently has three wins and four losses, including a five-zero sweep against Wabash. In each of the matches, the team has gained valuable experience regardless of the result both as a team and individually.

The Eagles are led by a strong core of seniors with No. 1 singles, Ava Wilson, No. 1 doubles, Meredith Anella and Sanaa Rouser, No. 2 doubles, Katie Wagoner and Sophia Scheffler, and alternating at No. 3 singles, Audrey Fremeau and Maria Silvola. When asked about the team this year, Wilson said, “We work really well together and we always support each other no matter the score.”

The doubles teams have proven to be a strong spot for the Eagles this year. To start the season, Wagoner and Rouser were paired together at No. 2 doubles, where they picked up a big win against Mishawaka Marian. Since then, the pair has switched partners, but the success has continued, Wagoner and Scheffler started out undefeated at 6-0. No.1 doubles, Anella and Rouser, have also been consistent going 5-1 only losing to Wawasee in two close sets 4-6,4-6.

As for the underclassman, junior Lilly Brewer has held strong in her No. 2 doubles position for the Eagles. After last season where she played in the No. 1 singles JV spot, she has moved up to varsity and currently sits at two wins and four losses. As for JV, (class) Izzy Catanzarite is another notable underclassman currently holding the No. 3 singles position. Catanzarite is currently undefeated, winning each of her matches and playing very consistently for the Eagles. Fremeau has also held the JV No. 1 singles position for part of the season, winning three out of four of her matches including beating Elkhart when playing up at No. 3 singles for varsity.

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Earlier this week the Eagles competed in the NIC tournament. Overall the team finished in seventh place with the best placing team being the No. 2 doubles group of Wagoner and Scheffler who finished third. In addition to the third place finish they were also named all-conference honorable mention. Wilson and Brewer both played in their normal places and finished tenth and ninth respectively. Catanzarite moved into the No. 3 singles position for the tournament and finished in eighth place.

Coming off the NIC tournament the Eagles now look ahead to New Prairie on Saturday, April 27 followed by two matches next week, Monday, April 29 at home against John Glenn and then Thursday, May 2, at home against South Bend Clay. While you still have the chance, get out there and support your Lady Eagles!

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About the Contributor

Sofia Nevala , Sports Editor

Sofia Nevala is a Senior at John Adams High School and is very excited to be back contributing to The Tower this year as the Sports Editor. Sofia is looking forward to casting a bigger spotlight on local sports, including those at Adams and Notre Dame, through her work at The Tower. She is also looking forward to continuing to write, what some may consider, too many articles about the NHL. A lacrosse player for the South Bend Bears girls’ team, she also enjoys reading, traveling, going to concerts and watching various sports. Sofia can be found at almost every one of Notre Dame’s home hockey games or at the Ice Box watching her brother play for Adams. Along with that, she is up at 9 a.m. every Saturday in the fall watching her favorite show “College GameDay” on ESPN. Some of her greatest accomplishments include: growing her hockey jersey collection to sixteen, helping start the South Bend Bears High School girls lacrosse team, and learning to play piano at the age of four along with violin in the first grade. She loves all music and is constantly, to the annoyance of her brother, singing along to the radio in the car. She learned to read music during her years of taking piano and violin lessons, which was a great help as she taught herself to play ukulele during COVID. She is an unapologetic country music fan though she gets much criticism for it from her friends. She believes there aren’t many things better than blasting country music in the car with the windows down. After high school, Sofia hopes to move on to college and study Kinesiology or Movement Science; something that will lead her on the Physical Therapy track…one of the only health majors that has little involvement with blood! Her ultimate goal is to get a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, which would give her an opportunity to work in professional sports, preferably in a big city. Between now and getting her Doctorate, Sofia will continue to grow her hockey jersey collection, try to convince her parents that she needs to go to another concert, and receive way too many ESPN notifications on her phone. Sofia is excited for her final year with The Tower and hopes that she can continue to share her love of sports with the Adams community.