Like it has the last few years, girls tennis championships went through Queens.
In the CHSAA, St. Francis Prep won another state title and notched an unprecedented 11th straight Mayor’s Cup title. Its team of Katie DeRienzo and Marylen Santos also won the citywide tournament’s doubles crown.
Cardozo was the queen of the PSAL once again, finishing with its third straight team city title. A week later, first singles Leighann Sahagun took home the PSAL individual title and second singles Arielle Griffin, with Sahagun competing at an outside tournament, won the Mayor’s Cup individual title.
All-City girls tennis Player of the Year: Arielle Griffin, Cardozo
She might have been Cardozo’s second singles, but there was nothing secondary about her performance. When first singles Leighann Sahagun retired in the PSAL Class A team final, Griffin dominated her match to the lead the Judges to their third straight victory. A few weeks later, the sophomores beat Goldstein’s Becky Shtilkind to win the Mayor’s Cup.
All-City girls tennis Coach of the Year: John Brennan, St. Francis Prep
The longtime coach can probably win this award every year. But 2009-10 was significant. Brennan’s first singles, Shraddha Prabhu, quit the team and in stepped Kathleen Uy, who had never played singles before – let alone first singles. St. Francis Prep still went on to win its 11th straight Mayor’s Cup team title and its unprecedented winning streak is alive at 173 straight matches.
All-City first team
Leighann Sahagun, Cardozo
Probably the best overall player in New York City, Sahagun had some health issues at the end of the season that forced her to retire from Cardozo’s PSAL team championship match against Goldstein. The junior, who is No. 6 in the USTA Eastern rankings, came back a week later to win the PSAL individual title.
Becky Shtilkind, Goldstein
She stormed onto the scene last year by winning the PSAL individual title and this year Shtilkind led Goldstein to its first-ever PSAL championship match. The sophomore, who is No. 43 in the USTA Eastern rankings, also advanced to the Mayor’s Cup individual final.
Lia Carlson, Curtis
The Swarthmore-bound senior led Curtis to a second straight Staten Island title this season and capped a magnificent career by winning the PSAL Wingate Award, given to the best senior in a respective sport. Carlson, who is No. 33 in the USTA Eastern rankings, was even better in the classroom with a 1490 out of 1600 on the SAT.
Min Yuan/Dexuan Yuan, Cardozo
There’s something to be said for the chemistry between twins. The Yuans definitely have it, helping to lead Cardozo to a third straight PSAL team title from first doubles. They also took home the PSAL doubles title.
Katie DeRienzo/Marylen Santos, St. Francis Prep
DeRienzo was no stranger to a Mayor’s Cup doubles title. She won last year with Lisa Ventimiglia and now again with Santos. The pair was also big in St. Francis Prep’s 11th straight Mayor’s Cup team title.
All-City second team
Kathleen Uy, St. Francis Prep
The junior had been a doubles fixture for St. Francis Prep, but never played singles before this season. Uy, who is No. 32 in the USTA Eastern rankings, stepped up big, leading the Terriers to another CHSAA state title and an 11th straight Mayor’s Cup championship.
Alexis Tashiro, Francis Lewis
She helped make a little Lewis history this season. The sophomore, who is No. 40 in the USTA Eastern rankings, and the Patriots handed Cardozo its first league loss since 2004. Tashiro also led her team to its first Mayor’s Cup semifinals berth since 2002.
Bessie Rentzler, Stuyvesant
At first singles, the senior helped Stuyvesant to the PSAL team semifinals where it lost to eventual champion Cardozo. She and teammate Irina Titova also made the semifinals of the PSAL doubles tournament.
Allie Jackson-Hing/Azriel Shields, Brooklyn Tech
Jackson-Hing, a freshman, and Shields, a sophomore, played first and third singles, respectively, during the season for Brooklyn Tech, which advanced to the PSAL team quarterfinals. But they excelled in the Mayor’s Cup as a pair en route to the finals.
Briana Gaskin/Grace Xu, Hunter College HS
Hunter’s best two singles players teamed up in the PSAL doubles tournament and ended up making it all the way to the finals before falling to Cardozo twins Min and Dexuan Yuan. Gaskin, a junior, and Xu, a sophomore, will both be back next season.
All-City honorable mention
Destina Grunin, Goldstein
Zoe Pangalos, Chapin
Jane Selegean, Townsend Harris
Nicole Rydzewski, St. Francis Prep
Gabrielle Sullivan, Poly Prep
Pauline Syrnik, St. Francis Prep
Valeriya Tatisheva, Dwight
Kayla Halvey/Irina Titova, Stuyvesant
Steliana Fakas/Arielle John, Cardozo
Joanna Haich/Tashrika Sharma, Francis Lewis
