Patel reaches 30 singles wins; team gains FVC crown
HUNTLEY — One might say Ella Doughty and Gia Patel have been looking forward to leading the Huntley singles lineup for a while.
“We’ve known each other for a long time through lessons at The Racket Club,” Doughty, the senior and No. 1 singles layer, said.
Gia Patel, playing at No. 2 singles, has taken the season on by storm, with a 30-1 record as a freshman. Both Doughty and Patel won singles titles as part of Huntley’s fourth straight Fox Valley Conference championship.
“I have been working on consistency, and having the opponent go side to side,” Gia Patel said. “My teammates have helped me.”
“Gia Patel has more wins in a season of anyone in our program,” Huntley head girls tennis coach Barry Wells said. “She doesn’t let the pressure get to her. She was down one set to Crystal Lake South and came back and won.”
Gia Patel’s lone loss came to an Elgin Academy player in the season’s first tournament. Her outstanding season has topped the old record for wins set by Elaina Hibbeler.
While Gia Patel plays singles sister Ari, a junior, plays No. 2 doubles with Julie Klockner.
Huntley’s girls tennis team will be aiming for spots at the Class 2A Girls State Tennis Tournament when they battle at the Cary-Grove Sectional Oct. 13 and 14. The state finals will be Oct. 19-21 hosted by Buffalo Grove.
“We were very focused, even though it was a long day at The Racket Club,” Doughty said. “The Jacobs’ player (Kylie Cohn) was the toughest opponent. My goal is to make the sectional semifinal and go to state.”
Huntley won the FVC team title with a 59-48 margin over Cary-Grove. The four-time champs won six of seven lineup titles.
At the FVC tournament, HHS won No. 1 singles as Ella Doughty beat Jacobs’ Cohn, 6-4, 6-1. Gia Patel won at No. 2, over Rachelle Appelhans of Crystal Lake South, 6-5, 6-4. Trinity Nguyen of HHS was second at No. 3, falling to C-G’s Eva Becjovic, 6-4. 6-0.
Huntley was able to sweep the doubles spots. At No. 1, Kate Burkey and Carlie Weishaar beat Crystal Lake Central, 2-6, 6-4, 10-7; Klockner and Ari Patel downed the Trojans duo, 6-1, 2-6, 10-6 at No. 2; No. 3 of Shea Nagle and Ellie Pauwels won over C-G, 6-1, 6-4 and at No. 4, Vinuthna DePala and Ashley Phommasack beat CLC, 6-5, 6-2.
Wells summed up the FVC finals.
“First doubles against CLC and second doubles against C-G were our toughest finals and both went three sets,” Wells said. “It was a lot of pressure in both matches, but we were able to be mentally tougher and execute better than our opponents in the tie-breakers in both matches.”
The Red Raiders vow to be ready for sectional at Cary-Grove.
“The Cary-Grove Sectional is going to be tougher competition than the Rockford Sectional this year,” Wells said. “Hopefully, we can continue our momentum from conference and qualify multiple participants to state.”
HHS was unbeaten in FVC dual meets at 8-0 this season and 19-2 overall duals.
