By Chris Parker
There are many talented girls tennis players across our coverage area. Below are some of the top girls tennis players to watch this season
This watchlist can be found in print in the Fall O-Zone Preview Magazine available this week at all southwest Missouri Casey’s general stores.
Lexi Berry, Bolivar Senior
Berry was the No. 2 player for Bolivar last year. She posted a 13-1 overall record as a singles player, while combining with teammate Megan Roberts for an 11-3 doubles record. They were district champions and qualified for state in doubles. Berry won her flight at the Bolivar Invitational in singles.
Brynley Brotherton, Kickapoo Sophomore
Brotherton was a force in her freshman season where she had a 13-2 overall singles record and 16-5 overall doubles record with teammate Esther Choe. The duo qualified for the Class 2 state tournament. She also helped Kickapoo to a district championship and 16-6 overall team record.
Astrid Cardenas, Joplin Junior
Cardenas was the No. 1 player for a Joplin team that finished 5-10 overall as a team last year. She qualified for the Class 2 state tournament as an individual, but lost her first two matches of the tournament to opponents from Lee’s Summit West and Eureka.
Esther Choe, Kickapoo Junior
Choe was a dominant No. 1 singles player posting a 15-1 overall record as she helped Kickapoo to a district title and a 16-6 overall record. She won first place at the Springfield Invitational and second place at the Ozark Conference meet. She paired with teammate Brynley Brotherton to go 16-5 in doubles and qualify for the Class 2 state tournament.
Claire Griesemer, Catholic Senior
Griesemer was Catholic’s No. 2 player last year. She helped the Lady Irish to a third-place finish as a team at state. Her overall singles record was 27-6, while she was 16-2 in doubles with teammate Erin Jarvis. Griesemer, a state qualifier in singles, was the No. 2 flight champion at the Big 8 tournament and doubles champion.
Lucy Huang, Glendale Sophomore
Huang had a strong freshman year, which saw her help Glendale to a 13-4 overall team record and a district runner-up finish. Huang qualified for the Class 2 state tournament as an individual where she won her first-round match to advance to the quarterfinals. She finished with a 20-3 overall record in singles while going 8-4 in doubles.
Erin Jarvis, Catholic Senior
Jarvis was the No. 1 player for Catholic last year. She posted a 31-3 overall record on her way to an eighth-place finish at state. She paired with Claire Griesemer for a 16-2 doubles record. Jarvis claimed the Springfield Tournament title and the Big 8 No. 1 singles and doubles title. Her only losses came at state.
Megan Roberts, Bolivar Senior
Roberts was the No. 1 singles player for Bolivar, which finished 16-1 as a team and finished runner-up to Springfield Catholic in the district team tournament. As an individual, Roberts had a 12-3 overall record. She and teammate Lexi Berry qualified for state as a doubles team and posted an 11-3 overall record.
