IMA SPORTS

For the first time, girls tennis will be recognized as a varsity sport by the Northern Buckeye Conference this season.

Despite not being an official conference sport in the past, Maumee has stood above the other NBC schools, winning the last two league tournaments.

Now, with a conference title on the line, the Panthers have their sights set on another crown.

They’ll chase it with an experienced squad. Maumee returns four seniors who combined for a 59-40 record last year: Hilari Miko (14-12), Laci Winckowski (18-8), McKayla Hayes (14-7) and Tylee Alvarez (13-13).

Also back are juniors Lily Jones (3-2), Lily Hucke and Sophia Pan, along with sophomore Camilla Belcher.

“This team is very experienced. Every senior has been playing for four years, and everyone played last year,” Maumee coach Enzo Minnillo said. “This gives us an advantage over some younger teams because our players are confident in their play. The team also works extremely hard, and their footwork and endurance allow them to win matches against players with similar skill levels.”

Continuity on the coaching staff has also fueled Maumee’s success. Minnillo is back for his second season leading both the girls and boys programs and his third year overall with the Panthers. Assistant coach Maddie Nicol was the head coach during their first season with the program.

“I think that every year we continue to coach, our athletes get more comfortable with the expectations of our program,” Minnillo said. “This allows us to run things much more efficiently and increase instruction and playing time during practices. It also helps build trust between the players and coaches, which boosts their confidence and brings the team closer together. Because of that, we see steady growth not just in their skills, but in how well they work as a team.”

Along with Maumee, Oak Harbor, Fostoria and Rossford will also field teams. After a schedule of dual matches against NBC opponents, the four schools will come together for the league tournament Sept. 27.

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com