Special Recognition for North Penn Girls Tennis

 NORTH PENN GIRLS TENNIS

Throughout the storied history of North Penn girls tennis there have been many exceptional players and many championship teams. From their first Bux-Mont Championship in 1959, captained by Judy McCann and coached by Laura Kehler, to the undefeated team of 1970 led by State Singles medal winner Lynn Koth and coached by Dottie Ball, the team was a constant force in the Bux-Mont League, claiming five titles between 1955 and 1976. New challenges were faced when girls tennis was shifted to a fall sport beginning with the 1977 season. Still, the team continued to post strong league records and another State Singles medalist in Lisa Wagner. Building on these early successes the girls program reached its pinnacle from 1983 to 1993. During this period the girls compiled an overall won-lost record of 127 – 25 and a league record of 92 – 16. They won seven league titles, three in the Bux-Mont League: 1983, '84, and '85 and four in the Suburban I League, 1988, ‘92, '93, and '94. In four of these years, 1983, '85, '88, and '93 the team was undefeated. Three of these teams had particularly exceptional seasons and players.

1985 UNDEFEATED BUX-MONT CHAMPIONS
OVERALL 15 – 0 LEAGUE 8 - 0

Led by team captains Sherri Williams, Wendy Wenhold and Leonie Arano the 1985 Maidens completed an undefeated season (15-0, 8-0) and clinched their third consecutive Bux-Mont League Championship. This team arguably had the strongest, deepest singles line-up in school history. Sherri Williams won her second consecutive gold medal in the league Singles Championship while Kristina Maxwell claimed the bronze medal. In the league Doubles Championship Wendy Wenhold and Kate Holme repeated as champions. Each of the four singles players: Williams, Maxwell, Kate Holme, and Wendy Wenhold along with the first doubles team of Julee Wenhold and Renee Narducci were undefeated in league dual match play. (Clara Chu, Amy Narducci, Amy Bradley, Jenn Caiola, Cheri Blagbrough, and Lisa Hunn also played Varsity doubles during the '85 campaign.) Combining their talents in post-season doubles play, Sherri Williams and Kristina Maxwell won the District I Doubles Championship, defeating their teammates Wendy Wenhold and Kate Holme in the tournament finals. This marked the first time in District I history that a school captured the top two spots in the District I Doubles Tournament. Sherri and Kristina would go on to win the fourth place medal in the State Doubles Tournament. (In 1986, despite a strike-shortened season that denied the team an opportunity to pursue a fourth consecutive championship, Kristina Maxwell and Kate Holme would win the District I Doubles Championship and capture the fourth place medal in the State Doubles Championship.)

1988 UNDEFEATED SUBURBAN I COLONIAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS
OVERALL 15 – 0 LEAGUE 11 – 0

In 1988 the quest for another championship would not be realized unless the team was able to overcome their strongest opponent, Central Bucks West, in an epic season-ending match between two undefeated teams. (The Bucks were on a 34 match unbeaten streak dating back to Oct. 8, 1986.) It was reported that nearly three hundred spectators surrounded the North Penn courts in support of the two teams. Play was intense and for five hours both teams performed brilliantly before North Penn prevailed with a dramatic, hard fought 5 -2 victory to post their fifteenth win of the season. The Maiden's success lay in the depth of their line-up: 4th Singles Robin Morinsky finished the year undefeated as did 1st Doubles Kristin Hinz/Jenn Caiola, 2nd Doubles Pam Underwood/ Chris Eckard and 3rd Doubles Shannon Brown/Christine Buckmaster. (Monique Williams, Laurie Paul and Nicole Buckmaster played first, second and third singles respectively while Denise Murray and Leslie Kang also added individual wins during the season.) Each of the ten members of the starting line-up were named to either the first or second All-League teams. (Despite losing four seniors and failing to win the league championship, the 1989 team would finish 15 -2 and reach the semi-finals of the inaugural District I Team Championship!)

1993 UNDEFEATED SUBURBAN I COLONIAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS
UNDEFEATED DISTRICT I TEAM CHAMPION
OVERALL 18 – 0 LEAGUE 11 - 0

There was no State Team Tennis Championship until 2000, so in 1993 the ultimate goal was to be undefeated and win the District I Team Championship. That is exactly what the '93 Maidens accomplished. After clinching their second consecutive Suburban I title, the Maidens defeated Upper Dublin, Conestoga, and Abington to reach the District I Team Championship finals where they defeated Harriton 5 ½ - 1 ½ and secured the only District I Team Tennis Championship (boys or girls) in school history. Led by the sensational play of freshman #1 Singles, Lenka Beranova, and the steady play and leadership of Alison Tweedie and Kari D'Amora, the girls won a school record 18 matches. In addition to the District I Championship, the team also won the prestigious Downingtown Invitational Team Tournament by dropping Downingtown, Radnor, and State College. Alison (2nd singles), Kari (3rd singles), and Kathy Mallon (4th singles) finished dual match competition with undefeated records. The accomplished play of doubles duos Andrea Kapusta/Joanne Nasife, Kari Holloway/Erin Lukens and Marcy Wetzel/Kelly Stock was recognized when they were named to the All League Second Team. (After losing four seniors to graduation and freshmen Beranova to the boys team, the 1994 team won a third consecutive league championship with a 10 – 1 record. The team won a total of 16 matches including a first round victory over Pennridge in the District I Team Championship. Unfortunately their season ended when Upper Dublin handed the Maidens just their second loss of the season in the quarter finals of the District I Team Championship. Only the slimmest of margins, a third set tie breaker loss at first singles, kept the Maiden's from advancing.)

THE COACHES

From 1980 to 2004 the Maidens Head Coach was Robert Hurst; Ron Jaros was Assistant Coach from 1983-1991; Renee DiDomizio and Bill Sinkinson were Assistant Coaches in 1993 and 1994.