Last season’s state tennis champs have new look
Gulliver Prep and Ransom Everglades each had girls’ teams win state championships in 2014.
Gulliver’s boys made it a state title sweep for the Raiders.
And Coral Gables also made history on the boys’ side, winning its first state crown since 1968.
All four state team champions, however, must replace key players from those championship squads to have a chance to match last year’s banner season.
▪ Coral Gables graduated No. 1 singles player Mirko Radosevic, a freshman at Cleveland State University, but return a talented squad led by senior Oliver Otero, a Penn State signee.
Otero was a state champion last season at No. 2 singles and won an overall state doubles title with Radosevic.
Otero and senior Cristian Gazzolo will be counted on to lead the Cavaliers, who have added three solid freshmen — Daniel Krulig, Chris Tormo and Sebastian Virreira.
While Weston Cypress Bay is still one of the state’s best and the favorite in Broward County, Dr. Krop has a chance to contend with a squad led by junior Ariel Hollander and Arman McClane.
▪ Gulliver’s lineup looks a lot different than it has in years without the duo of Chase Perez-Blanco and Baker Newman.
But with Perez-Blanco at the University of Florida and Newman at Vanderbilt, the Raiders must look for new leadership.
Sophomores Andre Libnic and Lorenzo Schinteie, state champions at No. 3 and 4 singles respectively last season, will try to help Gulliver earn state title No. 9 as a team.
▪ Gulliver’s girls also lost one of its best in Olivia Thaler, The Miami Herald’s Player of the Year. But with No. 2 singles state champion Julieta Dalmau, a junior, and junior Alyssa Pujals leading a strong squad, the Raiders are still the favorite to win Class 2A. Sophomore Lindy Lyons bolsters the lineup along with sophomore Ysabel Gonzalez Rico and junior Tatiana Ramirez.
Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest looks like the toughest contender for Gulliver and could face the Raiders again in regionals.
▪ Ransom Everglades lost three of its best players from its Class 1A state championship squad — Allegra Hanlon (Cornell), Claudia Mackenzie (Navy) and Lindsey Mendelson (Columbia).
But senior Daniela Lopez and junior Heather Boehm, both undefeated state champions last season will try to keep the Raiders on course.
▪ On the girls’ side in Class 4A, there could be a resurgent season by four-time state champion Dr. Krop.
The Lightning, which will also have a solid boys’ squad, might have what it takes to dethrone Cypress Bay. Krop returns junior Naiya Oden and senior Sophia Sultan and might have the depth to break through to the state tournament.
Locally, it will have to contend with Miami Palmetto, which returns GMAC and regional champion Emma Petersen, a senior. The Panthers were Dade’s lone state team qualifier in Class 4A last season.
Miami-Dade season outlook
KEY DATES
March 16-19: GMAC championship.
March 30-April 4: District tournaments.
April 7: Regional semifinals.
April 9: Regional finals.
April 13-17: State tournament at Sanlando Park (Altamonte Springs) and Red Bug Lake Park/Sylvan Lake Park (Casselberry).
BOYS’ 2014 STATE CHAMPIONS
Class 4A: Coral Gables; 3A: Wiregrass Ranch/Naples Barron Collier; 2A: Gulliver; 1A: Morningside.
GIRLS’ 2014 STATE CHAMPIONS
Class 4A: Cypress Bay; 3A: Niceville; 2A: Gulliver; 1A: Ransom Everglades.
TOP RETURNING BOYS’ PLAYERS
Cristian Gazzolo, Coral Gables, Sr.
Mark Hellinger, Palmetto, Sr.
Ariel Hollander, Krop, Jr.
Andre Libnic, Gulliver, So.
Arman McClane, Krop, So.
Waleed Mneimneh, Palmer Trinity, Sr.
Jose Ortega, Ferguson, Jr.
Oliver Otero, Coral Gables, Sr.
Lorenzo Schinteie, Gulliver, So.
Richie Torres, MAST
TOP RETURNING GIRLS’ PLAYERS
Paulina Bejar, Coral Gables, Jr.
Heather Boehm, Ransom, Jr.
Julieta Dalmau, Gulliver, Jr.
Stephanie Levine, Palmetto, Sr.
Daniela Lopez, Ransom, Sr.
Lindy Lyons, Gulliver, So.
Naiya Oden, Krop, Jr.
Emma Petersen, Palmetto, Sr.
Alyssa Pujals, Gulliver, Jr.
Sophia Sultan, Krop, Sr.
NOTE: For complete team-by-team capsules, please visit our High School Sports page at www.MiamiHerald.com/sports.
SEASON OUTLOOK
BOYS’ TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS
CLASS 4A
COLUMBUS (Coach Keith Green, 6th year). Last year: 5-3. Top players: Thomas McCoy, Sr.; Matthew Fernandez, Sr.; Mariano Doble, Sr.; Alejandro Noy, Jr.; Christian Ortega, Jr.; Christian Asmar, Sr.
CORAL GABLES (Coach David Weiner, 13th year, 120-20). Last year: 13-0 (State champions). Top players: Oliver Otero, Sr.; Cristian Gazzolo, Sr.; Daniel Krulig, Fr.; Chris Tormo, Sebastian Virreira, Fr.
CORAL REEF (Coach Nelson Villegas, 5th year, 22-11). Last year: Third in district. Top players: Johann Rapp, Jr.; Lucas Nickolich, Jr.; David Vasserman, So.; Simon Galvis, So.; Hugo Rodriguez, Jr.; Alexandre Monnier, Jr.
DR. KROP (Coach Mike Kypriss). Last year: Regional finalist. Top players: Arman McClane, So.; Ariel Hollander, Jr.; Fabrice Bissanthe, Jr.; Nadav Marianowsky, So.
FERGUSON (Coach Jorge Garcia, 4th year, 12-11). Last year: 8-1. Top players: Jose Ortega, Jr.; Jose Disotuar, So.; Gabriel Guzman, Sr.; Justin Ossa, Fr.; Nicholas Ramirez, Fr.; Kevin Reinoso, Sr.
HIALEAH (Coach Marc de Lacoste, 10th year, 101-50). Last year: 3-4. Top players: Chris Ramirez, Sr.; Jan Martinez, Sr.
MIAMI BEACH (Coach Diego Garcia, 4th year, 22-11). Last year: 8-3 (Regional semifinalist). Top players: Nicolas Barone, Jr.; Omar Zarif, So.; Daniel Bertak, Sr.; Omar Azzaoui, Jr.; Jonathan Hirschenson, So.
PALMETTO (Coach Kelly Gibson, 8th year). Last year: 9-0 (Regional runner-up). Top players: Mark Hellinger, Sr.; Jake Guttentag, Sr.; Aleksa Andrejevic, Sr.; Willie Yang, Jr.; Garret Huber, So.; Max Woodbury, Jr.
VARELA (Coach Judy Kubit, 6th year). Last year: 3-6. Top players: Danny Ramirez, Sr.; Lucas Medina, So.; Anthony Lang, So.
CLASS 3A
MATER ACADEMY (Coach Juan Espin). Last year: 4-3. Top players: Orlando Hayes, Jr.; Rodrigo Morgado, So.; Debrian Figueroa, Jr.
MOURNING (Coach Todd Rubinstein). Last year: 16-1 (Regional champions). Top players: Tom Jaworski, So.; Sam Prudhomme, Sr.; Santiago Uribe, Fr.; Aziz Abydou, Jr.; Edward Luca, Fr.; David Pedersen, Fr.
TERRA (Coach Monica D. Mejia, 1st year). Top players: Andres Peres-Doval, So.; Derek Rasmussen, So.; Daniel Rasmussen, So.; Daniel Romano, Fr.; Gary Yeung, Sr.; Nicholas Lynch, Jr.
CLASS 2A
GULLIVER (Coach Kelly Mulligan, 26th year). Last year: 18-2 (State champions). Top players: Andre Libnic, So.; Lorenzo Schinteie, So.; Maxim Krapivin, Fr.; Nico Ramirez, Fr.; Ryan Hellinger, Fr.; Giovanni Corrado, Sr.
CLASS 1A
ARCHBISHOP CURLEY (Coach German Liburd, 1st year). Top players: Eduardo Fajardo, Jr.; Enrique Diaz, So.
MIAMI COUNTRY DAY (Coach Alan Murray, 15th year, 131-46). Last year: 9-2 (District champions). Top players: Max Cohan, Sr.; Daniel Kassin, Sr.; Milan Bass, Fr.; Milledge Cossu, 7th; Alex Cohan, So.; Alex Slezynger, So.
PALMER TRINITY (Coach Jon Hainline, 4th year at PT, 5th overall). Top players: Waleed Mneimneh, Sr.; Keenan Rodriguez, Michael Eschman, Nico se Sola, Jr.
RANSOM EVERGLADES (Coach Peter Lehmann, 5th year at RE, 12th overall, 102-55). Last year: 10-4 (Sixth at state). Top players: John Michael Holtmann, So.; Antonio Mora, Fr.; Samuel Rubell, 8th; Grant Dill, 8th; Spencer Goldsmith, Jr.
SLAM ACADEMY (Coach Jennifer Binney, 2nd year, 0-7). Last year: 0-7. Top players: Vincent Yin, 7th.
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN (Coach Erwin Escobar, 3rd year). Last year: 3-6. Top players: Nicholas Salazar, Fr.; Lucas Feanny, 8th; Ryan Salazar, Fr.; Charles Downey, Sr.; Zachary Erichsen, So.
GIRLS’ TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS
CLASS 4A
CORAL GABLES (Coach David Weiner, 13th year, 110-30). Last year: 8-2. Top players: Paulina Bejar, Jr.; Sofia Quevedo, So.; Kristina Fernandez, Fr.; Rafa Game, Jr.; Alexa Alcalay, Sr.; Sofia Bosch, Jr.
CORAL REEF (Coach Nelson Villegas, 5th year, 28-7). Last year: Regional finalist. Top players: Alexadria Hitt, Jr.; Laura Navia, So.; Cathy Xin, So.; Bruna Decerega, So.; Thais Barraque, So.; Ana Arrocha, So.
DR. KROP (Coach Mike Kypriss). Last year: Regional finalist. Top players: Naiya Oden, Jr.; Sophia Sultan, Sr.; Julie Shillington, So.; Manami Maehama, Fr.
FERGUSON (Coach Janett Toledo, 4th year, 9-14). Last year: 4-5. Top players: Brianna Gomez, So.; Jasmine McGee, Sr.; Cecilia Monge, So.; Kayla Hogan, Fr.; Emily Ortega, Fr.; Oriana Guzman, Jr.
PALMETTO (Coach Kelly Gibson, 8th year). Last year: 11-1 (Fourth at state). Top players: Emma Petersen, Sr.; Ansofi Wreder, Jr.; Yekaterina Martens, So.; Stephanie Levine, Sr.; Roxana Montoya, So.; Samantha Alicea, Fr.
CLASS 3A
MATER ACADEMY (Coach Juan Espin). Last year: 4-3. Top players: Angelica Rodriguez, Fr.; Laura Leon, So.; Jennifer Ollarvides, So.
MOURNING (Coach Todd Rubinstein). Last year: 15-1 (Regional champions). Top players: Eva Agasse, Sr.; Arina Sharonova, Jr.; Mara Cerrini, Jr.; Yeva Razumouskaya, Fr.; Alexandra Cabezas, Sr.; Anastasia Accarpio, Sr.
TERRA (Coach Monica Mejia, 1st year). Top players: Sophia Adams, Jr.; Michelle Adan-Pol, Fr.; Valeria Flandes, Fr.; Jessica Waddell, Jr.; Marisa Stephens, Sr.; Daniela Menendez, So.
CLASS 2A
GULLIVER (Coach Kelly Mulligan, 26th year). Last year: 18-0 (State champions). Top players: Julieta Dalmau, Jr.; Alyssa Pujals, Jr.; Ysabel Gonzalez Rico, So.; Lindy Lyons, So.; Tatiana Ramirez, Jr.
CLASS 1A
ARCHBISHOP CURLEY (Coach German Liburd, 1st year). Top players: Kaila Merrill, Sr.; Janelle Forbes, So.; Esperanza Cadena, Jr.; Alexander LaRoche, Jr..
CARROLLTON (Coach Max Mangones, 7th year). Last year: 4-5. Top players: Nina Cubero, Jr.; Lucia Pinero, 8th; Sima Vasquez, Sr.; Alexis Vidaurretta, Sr.; Isabella Leanos, 7th.
MIAMI COUNTRY DAY (Coach Val Banada, 7th year, 32-43). Last year: 6-6 (District champions). Top players: Megan Tate, Sr.; Sasha Bass, Jr.; Celina Lindemann, Jr.; Jade Iadarola, Fr.; Mina Segall, So.; Janna Sayfie, Jr.
PALMER TRINITY (Coach Jon Hainline, 4th year at PT, 5th overall). Top players: Emily Himes, Jr.; Kelly Blary, Jr.; Vivi Aner, Jr.; Amanda Brown, So.; Isabella Elwaw, So.; Paula Lisazo, So.
RANSOM EVERGLADES (Coach Peter Lehmann, 5th year at RE, 10th overall, 90-34). Last year: 14-1 (State champions). Top players: Daniela Lopez, Sr.; Heather Boehm, Jr.; Vivian Fernandez, Jr.; Marina Pataro, Jr.; Sofie Bullard, Jr.
SLAM ACADEMY (Coach Jennifer Binney, 2nd year, 0-7). Last year: 0-7. Top players: Allexii Bassette, 6th; Leticia Valera, Fr.; Giani Loudes, Sr.
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN (Coach Erwin Escobar, 3rd year). Last year: 9-1. Top players: Sarah Fernandez, 8th; Taylor Huffman, So.; Lynda Arostegui, Sr.; Samantha Filpes, Jr.; Olivia Castro, Sr.; Ilse Brenner, Jr.
This story was originally published February 8, 2015 at 8:09 PM with the headline "Last season’s state tennis champs have new look."