Chatham Central, Charter the teams to beat this girls tennis season

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As the summer heat blasts down on asphalt tennis courts throughout the area, several high school women’s teams are braving the elements to prepare for the season that lies ahead.

Following two seasons that were impacted by strict COVID-19 guidelines, a sense of normality is in the air in 2022. Heather Brooks, the 11th-year head coach for Chatham Central, said her team has had an eventful summer as it gears up for the season opener on Aug. 15 against Lee County.

“Some of the girls have been playing in some tournaments on their own,” Brooks said. “Many of the girls were managers for the boys team, so they would come out and practice with the boys, and we’ve done open courts here and there as weather permits.”

After a first-place finish in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference in 2021, there are reasons to believe the Bears can take another step forward this year. Seniors Livvy Brooks and Ellie Phillips each posted an 11-1 record last season and will return as the No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively. They will also aim to continue their dominance in doubles play, where they finished as the state runner-up after falling to Mount Airy partners Carrie Marion and Ella Brant in the 1A doubles final.

“The girls really look up to Livvy and Ellie,” Brooks said. “They feel like they understand the game and the strategy of the game, and the girls always feel like they can ask them for help.”

Although the top of Chatham Central’s lineup is a strength, Brooks said that creating a solid foundation in the No. 4-6 singles spots will be a priority if the team hopes to build on its 12-3 record from a season ago. She cited the 2019 team as an example of depth paying dividends, as that year, a deep lineup propelled the Bears to a second-place finish in the West Regionals.

As Chatham Central looks ahead to the new year, Brooks said the team’s biggest obstacle will be Seaforth, who finished last season with a 9-4 record despite the roster being made up entirely of underclassmen. With an added year of experience, the young Hawks team still has plenty of room to grow and could emerge as a serious threat within the region.

Another challenger will likely be Chatham Charter, who finished with a 14-8 record and dealt the Bears their only three losses of the season. The Knights lasted the longest of any county tennis program in last year’s girls dual team playoffs, as they made it all the way to the 1A finals before losing to Mount Airy, 5-0.

Chatham Charter graduated three of their top four singles players from last season, but the team still features junior Elphie Spillman, who collected 10 wins as the team’s No. 1 singles player in 2021.

“I hope to get at least two wins off (Chatham Charter) this year,” Brooks said. “We already have them twice on our schedule. That’s kind of our rivalry in tennis.”

After a solid 2021 season that saw the team finish with a 10-6 overall record and 8-2 mark in the Central 3A division, Northwood is another program that will look to maintain its success despite losing several key pieces.

The team will miss quality talent and leadership from five graduating seniors in singles play, including Evelyn Lippers, who finished 11-1 at the top of the Chargers lineup last season. One key returner for Northwood in 2022 is junior Ryan Tinervin, who was 9-0 as the team’s No. 3 singles spot while also competing in two matches at No. 1.

Girls tennis, Chatham Central, Chatham Charter, Heather Brooks, Seaforth, 1A, Northwood, 3A