NORWICH
For the majority of last season, Norwich could not have been much more dominant. It rolled to a STAC Central division championship, won the Oneida Tournament finishing unbeaten in pool play, and came just one point shy of winning the Section IV Class B team championship.
Norwich graduated the top two singles players from that team, Jenni Borfitz and Breanna Cashman, but virtually the remainder of the lineup remains intact, and everyone has essentially bumped up to a higher position in the lineup. “That’s the natural thing in tennis,” said Norwich coach John Stewart. “Whoever is behind (in the lineup) has to be ready to fill positions.”
Norwich’s top returning singles players, Makenzie Maynard and Caroline Stewart, gained an abundance of seasoning last year, and went undefeated in the regular season at the third and fourth singles spots respectively. Maynard, a sophomore left-hander, and Stewart, just a freshman, will man the one and two spots this season, Coach Stewart said. Moving up from first doubles to play at third singles are Steph Elder and Taylor Stroh.
“We were strong in singles last year, and I still think we’ll be a strong team at singles again,” John Stewart said.
At doubles, last year’s number two team, Cohley Acenowr and Sam Gage, jump up to first doubles. The first-time pairing made a strong showing in their maiden varsity year together, and are off to another strong start in the early season. The only first-time varsity players to break the lineup, Megan Burke and Brooke Steigerwald, earned the number two spot in the doubles rotation. Meanwhile, returning varsity players Marysa Campbell and Danielle Williams, both of whom played in several varsity matches last year, are slated at third doubles.
Others who will rotate into the lineup and have already seen match time are seniors Robyn Berger and Kinsey Chase.
“I still think we’ll be the team to beat in our division,” John Stewart said. “With the Class B championship, we’ll have our hands full competing for that title.”