SJTCA Awards

Schalick’s Romano, doubles team head strong Salem County contingent in South Jersey Tennis Coaches awards

By Riverview Sports News

Schalick tennis coach John Romano and the Cougars’ once-beaten doubles team of Emma Adams and Katie Little have been named to the All-South Jersey Girls Tennis Team by the South Jersey Tennis Coaches Association.

Romano and the doubles team led the Cougars to the Group I final four, where they lost to eventual state champion New Providence in the semifinals.

The SJTCA handed out its annual awards and the Cougars and other Salem County players were prominently featured.

Schalick singles players Rachael Irizarry and Grace O’Neill and the doubles teams Adams-Little and Rachel Goranson-Miya Watkins were named SJ Group I All-Stars.

Woodstown’s Abigail Melle, Woodstown’s doubles team of Vivian Ward-Camille Osborn and Pennsville’s doubles team of Emma Cornette-Fanta One also were SJ Group I All-Stars.

Irizarry, O’Neill and Little received SJTCA Captain’s Awards; Irizarry and Melle received Career Achievement Awards; and Irizarry, who hopes to play tennis in college, earned an SJTCA scholarship.

Romano won coach of the year honors for the second time in his career. His team won a sectional and currently holds a No. 6 ranking in Group I. He also won the award in 2016, the previous time the Cougars won a sectional title. He called the award “the cherry on top” of a big year, but gave the credit to his players.

“It’s nice, just because I’m not a tennis guy,” said Romano, now in his 14th year with the team. “I’m from the John Donovan Soccer School at Schalick; we won a state championship my senior year there. I was always a soccer guy. Even before I started out, when I was at Woodbury for a year, I coached middle school girls soccer there, so tennis wasn’t even on my radar.

“Moving over and having the athletics director I had at the time, he needed somebody for the position, just kind of put me in there and it was nice to get that boost of confidence. Not only to have it come full circle back in 2016, but then to do it again seven years later and with everything this year, it’s nice.

“It’s not about the individual stuff, it’s a team thing. I’ll definitely take that sectional title over a Coach of the Year any year, but it’s nice. It’s nice to see your hard work pays off and it’s because of the girls.”

Shruti Mannan of Cherokee, the South Jersey Coaches Tournament champion, was Player of the Year.

SJTCA AWARDS
Player of the Year: Shruti Mannan, Cherokee
Coach of the Year: John Romano, Schalick; Colleen Senior, Clearview
SJTCA Scholarships: Rachael Irizarry, Schalick; Theresa Strano, GCIT; Kim Wash, Seneca
Service Award: Tony Ponzetti, Oakcrest

SJ GROUP I ALL-STARS: Singles – Morgan McNally, Gateway; Tabitha Bay, Gateway; Ellie Smith, Haddon Twp.; Brenna Bussinger, Middle Twp.; Anna Fisicaro, Pitman; Rachael Irizarry, Schalick; Grace O’Neill, Schalick; Abigail Melle, Woodstown.
Doubles – Kiersten Callahan-Shreva Raji, Haddon Twp.; Emma Cornette-Fanta Kone, Pennsville; Emma Adams-Katelyn Little, Schalick; Rachel Goranson-Miya Watkins, Schalick; Vivian Ward-Camille Osborn, Woodstown.

ALL-SOUTH JERSEY: Singles – Bryana Tigrado, Cedar Creek; Shruti Mannan, Cherokee; Sophia Liu, Cherry Hill East; Sarah Crawford, Clearview; Theresa Strano, GCIT; Ellie Smith, Haddon Twp.; Jessica Yao, Lenape; Christina Htay, Mainland; Alana Lee, Moorestown; Anna Fisicaro, Pitman; Natasha Sharnoff, Shawnee.
Doubles – Maya Pater-Ariel Ivler, Cherry Hill East; Kiera Stokes-Sophia Villare, GCIT; Emily Turnage-Marlina Kadar, Haddonfield; Elizabeth Ong-Marlee Campbell, Mainland; Emma Adams-Katelyn Little, Schalick.

SJ GROUP I CAPTAIN’S AWARDS: Catherine Smith, Haddon Twp.; Cara Mulligan, Haddon Twp.; Shreya Raju, Haddon Twp.; Morgan O’Kane, Haddon Twp.; Brielle Erickson, Haddon Twp.; Rachael Irizarry, Schalick; Grace O’Neill, Schalick; Katelyn Little, Schalick.

SJ GROUP I CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS: Catherine Smith, Haddon Twp.; Rachael Irizarry, Schalick; Abigail Melle, Woodstown.