Boys Tennis season is here! How do some of our coaches feel their teams will do this season? Check it out!
*All coaches were contacted for this exercise. Their responses are below.
School name: Brooks College Prep
Social media: @brooksboys.tennis
Key players returning: Mark Rodriguez (sr.), Terron Ries (sr.), Saul Lopez (sr.), Raul Leon (sr.), Anderson Pugh (jr.), Jaevion Southern (so.)
Key newcomers: Emmanuel Hill (jr.), Christian Gaddis (jr.), Seth Demus (jr.), Fernando Valdez (sr.)
Season outlook: Two years ago we had no returning players, and we re-started our program from scratch with 14 kids who had never played tennis before. I had no expectations, but that group of boys fell in love with the sport and meshed as a team almost immediately, and their commitment to learn and improve has helped us make steady progress ever since. Last year we qualified for the city tournament and won a couple of back-draw matches, which was a big deal for us, and we return six players from our city lineup along with several kids who contributed on JV last year. This should be the strongest, deepest boys team we’ve had in my tenure as coach. We’re hoping to be as competitive as possible at city and in our tough 1A sectional, while also enjoying the last ride with a special group of seniors.
School name: Juarez
Social media handle: @BJCAEagles1
Players returning (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
Carlos Gonzalez, Senior, Singles
Hugo Lopez, Senior, Singles
Newcomers (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
Javier Maya-Ramirez, Junior, Doubles
Neftali Santiago, Senior, Doubles
Andres Garcia, Senior, Doubles
Christopher Durazno, Senior, Doubles
Jesse Rodriguez, Senior, Doubles
Marco Palomares, Senior, Doubles
Yovani Mancilla, Senior, Doubles
Emir Navar-Perez, Junior, Doubles
Darwin Hernandez-Nunez, Sophomore, Doubles
Jesus Torres, Freshman, Singles
School name: Lincoln Park High School
Players returning (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
Liam Demetria (Junior) 1st singles
Charlie Silver (Junior) 1st doubles
Ilan Lanski (Senior)
Keaton Glomb (Sophomore)
Jonal Latimer (Junior)
Newcomers (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
We have 5 new freshman fighting for positions in the Varsity lineup: Kameron Witt, Eli More, Dilan Shah, Stellan Norsman, Kai Khanna
Coach’s season outlook: I’m optimistic about the enthusiastic group of freshmen who joined the team this spring. Their existing skills provide a solid foundation, and I’m eager to help them develop and refine their abilities. This influx of talent opens up numerous possibilities for our Varsity doubles pairings and sets the stage for a strong and competitive roster in the years to come.
School name: Northside College Preparatory High School
Players returning (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
Captain – Ellis Korda (11) 1 singles
Jayden Hall Ochango (10) 2 singles
Adrian Kosztya (12) 1 doubles
Jonah Berman (12) 3 doubles
Newcomers (name, class, position (1st singles, 2nd doubles, etc.)):
Emil Mahmutagic (9) 2 doubles
Vivaan (Shubi) Tomar (9) 3 doubles
Ethan Turkel (10) 2 doubles
Jiabao (Jonathan) Guo (9) 1 doubles
Coach’s season outlook:
We have a young team this year, so there will be a learning curve as we build experience and confidence on the court. With discipline, consistent effort, and a focus on fundamentals, the hope is that we’ll come together and have a solid season.Ellis has been a great team captain—he leads with positivity and sets a strong example for his teammates. Although the boys vary in age, they’ve shown good chemistry and mutual respect early on. Long-term, we hope to continue building a program rooted in strong relationships, accountability, and love for the game.
School name: Von Steuben
Coach’s Season Outlook: Von Steuben tennis is looking forward to a big season from Senior Garvin Murray. Finishing 6th in the IHSA 2A Finals the past two years, Garvin is looking to move up the podium in his final season. Coach Bouchard is hoping Garvin’s experience and leadership lift up the rest of the young Panther squad and propel them to success in Chicago Public’s Blue North Division. Mauryce Warner (Jr.), Mateo Klee (So.), and Ben Payne (So.) will be stepping into bigger roles with the loss of 6 Seniors from last year’s team. Newcomers Likhona Teyise (Fr.), Muhammad Adnan (Fr.), Justin Seth (So.), and Agustin Cervantes (Fr.) are new additions to the team but looking to make an impact right away. As a team our goal is to make the City Championship tournament where anything can happen!
