A group of local girls’ tennis teams enter the season with an assortment of expectations.
Burbank and Burroughs each qualified for the playoffs last season, while Providence fielded a young squad that competed at the junior varsity level.
Here’s a closer look at the squads.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs enjoyed another splendid campaign last season, finishing 13-4, 9-3 in the Pacific League for second place behind powerhouse Arcadia. Burbank earned playoff victories against Walnut and LaSalle before seeing its season conclude with a 10-8 defeat against Whitney in a CIF Southern Section Division III quarterfinal match.
Burbank coach Loi Phan said there’s room for the Bulldogs to grow entering this season.
“It’s virtually going to be a new group, but that’s exciting,” Phan said. “We have a group of young players who are excited to play and we want to continue to build the program.
“When we take a look back at what we accomplished last year, we see that tennis is back on the map. We competed against some of the best teams out there and everybody know knows us.”
Burbank will feature a singles lineup that might consist of sophomores Sena Hammel and Bernadette Hovhanasian and freshman Chase Harris. They will be joined in doubles by seniors Ellen Petrosyan and Nairi Zeytounzian and junior Brianna Kobramasihi.
“I think our league will be really good again,” Phan said. “Arcadia will probably be the top team. Burbank, Crescenta Valley and Burroughs will all be right there trying to fight it out and scramble for playoffs spots.”
BURROUGHS
Burroughs comes into the season looking to be a part of the playoff picture under the direction of coach Roy Bernhardt.
The Bears went 3-11, 3-9 for fourth place in the Pacific League behind Arcadia, Burbank and Crescenta Valley last season. Burroughs lost, 13-5, to Rancho Cucamonga in a CIF Southern Section Division III wild-card match.
The Bears will have a bit more experience this season, providing Bernhardt hope the Bears can return to the postseason in November.
“I think we’ll be OK,” said Bernhardt, who piloted the school’s boys’ squad to the quarterfinals last spring. “We’d be thrilled to be able to get back to the playoffs and there’s potential for that to happen because I’ve seen some improvement from our players.
“You just see how you can do in league and try to build from there.”
Though Bernhardt hasn’t formulated an official lineup, Burroughs will turn to seniors Lindsey Mazarei and Elane Shane, junior Ava Mayre and sophomores Hannah Lewis and Abigail Stell.
PROVIDENCE
The Pioneers competed last season on the junior varsity level and participated in several matches against varsity competition. Providence will be on the varsity stage this season and play its home matches at Burroughs High under fourth-year coach Rey Suarez.
“We opted out of varsity last season because we felt it was in the best interest to look at developing our talent and getting them some overall playing experience,” Suarez said. “Now, things are looking fairly good and we’re just trying to bring a sort of balance to the program that will help us compete.
“We still need to get used to a rhythm and there’s an opportunity for them to earn spots in the lineup.”
Providence will compete in league with Pasadena Poly, Westridge, Mayfield, Flintridge Prep and Chadwick. Pasadena Poly won the league championship last season.
The Pioneers will likely have a lineup that will consist of seniors Sophia Kevorkian and Janika Mamaril in singles. The doubles will be led by senior Bethany Nazareno, juniors Sophia Fayad and Alexandra Spendlove and sophomore Samantha Piomonte.
