- Tess Bucher tops All-Stark County girls tennis team.
- Most players on the all-star team are due to return in 2024.
Hoover senior Tess Bucher, who two weeks ago became Stark County’s first OHSAA Division I girls state tennis champion, heads the 2023 All-Stark County team.
Bucher is joined at first-team singles by Canton South junior Marissa Zaleski and sophomores Haylee Fearon of Perry, Alessandra McCann of Jackson, Ema Papcke of Hoover and Addison Sheil of Hoover.
Earning first-team honors in doubles are seniors Bridget Fink and Nyla Spangler of Hoover, senior Isha Nagajothi and junior Anisha Rawal of Jackson, and sophomores Ava Doane and Kiley Schrock of Lake.
The team was selected by the Stark County Tennis Coaches Association.
Bucher, who made four straight OHSAA final fours, is county player of the year a fourth straight time. She is the county’s second girls tennis state champ, joining Celena McCoury who won twice in Division II in the 1990s at St. Thomas Aquinas. Bucher went 43-0 this season, pushing her overall Hoover record to 151-9. That career win total is most in county history by a girls tennis player.
Hoover’s Ryan Shaffer, who coached Bucher and McCoury, and Rob Doerschuk of NET champion Canton South are coaches of the year.
Making second-team singles are Alliance senior Jillian Lohnes, Lake senior Hannah Neely, Perry senior Kennedy Schlabach, GlenOak junior Ella Lavy, and Jackson freshmen Ashley Helle and Alexis McCann.
Second-team doubles honorees are seniors Lindsey Crawford and Amaya Pablo of Hoover, seniors Chelsea Wiery and Reese Wiery of GlenOak, and junior Shakthi Prabhakaran and sophomore Grace Kargel of Jackson.
Earning honorable mention in singles are Marlington senior Victoria Lane, Canton South senior Rowan Laughlin, Alliance senior Sabrina Shaffer, McKinley junior Isabel Becker, GlenOak junior Ana Marginean, and Massillon junior Anna Rivera.
Honorable mention doubles players include senior Emily Thompson and sophomore Abigail Stinchcomb of Canton South, senior Gina Guiffre and junior Carly Shanower of Perry, and freshmen Grace Finefrock and Isabel Lombardi of Central Catholic.
