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September 19, 2022

Huntley senior Emily Chang readies to return the ball in her doubles match with Delaney Stock Saturday at the Huntley Quad.
Steve Peterson
Huntley senior Emily Chang readies to return the ball in her doubles match with Delaney Stock Saturday at the Huntley Quad.

Sports • September 19, 2022

Team building fun recipe for tennis success

By

HUNTLEY – The beginnings of a strong girls tennis season for the Red Raiders happened during the off-season summer weeks.

“I just had dinners before the season to make sure we were all close,” senior doubles player Emily Chong said.

Head coach Barry Wells credits those team-building activities as a big reason HHS was 13-1 record  in duals following the Huntley Quad on Sept. 17. Chong has teamed with sophomore Delaney Stock and the pair is unbeaten this season at No. 2 doubles.

“Coach paired us in the second week of practice,” Chong said. “I’ve been playing doubles since I was a freshman. The key is working in the off-season.”

“Emily gives good pep talks,” said Stock, who had played singles the year before. “Doubles is less court to cover and there is a different strategy.”

The Red Raiders swept their quad meet Sept. 17. HHS downed Boylan Catholic 4-1; Conant 3-2 and Lakes 5-0.

Wells said the squad played well and summarized their efforts.

“Ella Doughty had a big win over Boylan Catholic that will help her get seeded at sectional in Rockford. All of our doubles teams went undefeated Saturday which was great. No. 1 doubles Katie Burkey and Elaina Hibbeler were especially dominant dropping only three games total in three matches against good teams,” Wells said.

Conant proved to be the top challenge in dual matches.

“Conant was our closest match at 3-2. They beat us last year 3-2 so it was good to get them back this year,” Wells said,

Conant won both singles matches as Doughty lost 6-1, 6-0 and Patel fell, 6-3, 6-0.

Doubles matches were all won by HHS as Burkey and Hibbeler won 6-0, 6-1; at No. 2 doubles, Chong and Stock gained a three-set win, 4-6, 7-5, 10-8; Carlie Weisharr and Nora Stevenson won 6-2, 6-3.

The Red Raiders stood at a 13-1 dual record, 4-0 FVC.

“We are in a good position to repeat as FVC champions but there are still a lot of matches still left to play,” Wells said. “Prairie Ridge is one of the stronger teams in the FVC and we beat them 6-1 Sept. 8.”

HHS turned back a potential league challenge from Jacobs, 5-2, Sept. 15 to remain unbeaten in the conference.

The Red Raiders swept four doubles matches as at No. 1, Burkey and Hibbeler won; Chong and Stock won at No. 2; Carlie Weishaar and Nora Stevenson triumphed at third and Ellie Pauwels and Ashley Phommasack took won at fourth doubles. HHS hosted its quint tournament Sept. 10 and played well, Wells said. HHS finished third in team standings with 20 points behind Hononegah and Rolling Meadows.

“The Huntley quint went well, especially in doubles,” Wells said. “All three doubles teams went 4-0 and finished in first. Both of our singles players placed third. No. 1 doubles Burkey and Hibbeler got an important win over a very good Hononegah team.”