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Warriors Win with Depth and Doubles in Riggio’s Debut Campaign

The Valley Regional girls’ tennis team put together another solid season in the spring of the 2018 by finishing with an overall record of 14-7 that included a trip to the Class S State Tournament. The Warriors were also well represented in the Shoreline Conference Tournament, where there was an all-Valley matchup in the final of the doubles bracket, as the team’s No. 1 duo of senior Ellie Flynn and sophomore Caroline Baldwin defeated the No. 2 pairing of junior Allie Champion and freshman Ada Ramos for the title. Both duos earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for advancing to the final.

Sally Riggio felt pleased with her squad’s achievements in her first season as Valley’s head coach. Riggio believes that the biggest key to success was the steady effort of her Warriors.

“We had consistent effort each and every match. Everyone showed up to play their best,” said Riggio. “Sometimes it just doesn’t happen, but as far as I’m concerned, attitude is everything, and everyone showed up with a great attitude.”

Riggio was aided by plenty of support from senior captains Flynn and Emma Hunt Bauman throughout her first season. Hunt Bauman played the No. 1 singles position and earned six wins while facing the Shoreline’s stiffest competition. At the end of the season, she was presented with Valley’s Most Valuable Player Award.

“Emma is just a fierce competitor that demands excellence from herself every time she steps out on the court,” Riggio said. “That’s the precedent she set. She wants to win for her team, and all the girls would follow her lead. She was an excellent leader.”

Riggio said that Flynn has a different leadership style than Hunt Bauman, but added that her two captains meshed quite effectively this spring.

“Ellie was a quiet leader that everyone was comfortable going to. She was more soft-spoken,” said Riggio. “She wasn’t as much into delegating, but she put the kids at ease. They were a nice complement to one another.”

Flynn and Baldwin finished with an overall record of 23-1 at the No. 1 doubles position. Their lone loss came against Westbrook, although the pairing avenged that defeat when Valley faced the Knights in the State Tournament.

“They were solely focused on winning Shorelines, and they came out a winner in an all-Valley final. I’m very proud of that,” Riggio said. “Westbrook has a phenomenal program. We lost to them 4-3 both times, and Ellie and Caroline took their only loss of the season in one of those matches. It was too bad, but they beat them in states.”

The Warriors’ No. 2 doubles team of Champion and Ramos went 17-2 during the regular season. In addition to making the Shoreline final, the tandem also qualified to compete in the State Open Tournament this year. Champion received the Warrior Award for her unflinching determination on the court, while Ramos showed some slick skills this season.

“Allie came to compete every day she stepped on that court. She had a fantastic year. She’s fierce and, in that respect, she’s a warrior,” said Riggio. “Ada is a freshman with a ton of talent. She’s very quiet, and people make the mistake underestimating her ability. She’s very smart. She picks the ball up really well and moves it across court at a difficult angle.”

Junior Myah Martinez held down the No. 2 singles spot and picked up seven wins on the season. She was presented with Valley’s Sportsmanship award for her unwavering support on the sidelines.

“Myah has the most positive attitude. She can have an off match, but she’s the first person to cheer on her teammates,” Riggio said. “She never ever gets down on herself. She’s a great player and a positive role model in that respect.”

Rounding out the Warriors’ singles lineup were juniors Tori Adamczyk and Jessica Weinstein, who played at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions, respectively. Adamczyk netted 10 wins, and Coach Riggio believes that her determination had a heavy hand in her success.

“Tori is just so reliable. She’s steady and a nice player to watch work. She got her strings redone close to the end of the season, and she picked up even more pace,” Coach Riggio said. “I’d like to see her hit the ball a bit harder. She’s a marathoner on the court. She’s in it to win it, and she’ll wait you out to do it.”

Weinstein went 17-3 playing the bulk of her matches at No. 4 singles, while occasionally sliding up to No. 3. Next year, she will be the team’s lone senior captain.

“Jessica’s only been playing for a couple of years, but she’s so smart. She formulates a plan and exploits weaknesses,” said Riggio. “She gets to every ball and has great placement and shot selection. She just continues to flourish.”

Sophomore Jill deJongh and freshman Alex Halsey formed Valley’s No. 3 doubles team. They collected nine wins and were co-recipients of the Warriors’ Most Improved Award. Coach Riggio expects big things for them in 2019.

“We tried to maximize their strengths to complement each other on the court. Each match, they would improve, and I’m looking forward to them growing a little bit,” Riggio said. “Looking back at their experience from this year, I want them to have a shot at the title.”

Valley’s depth played a part in the team’s success this spring. Substitute players like senior Saffron Reilly, and sophomores Grace Proctor, Brynn Steevels, and Honor Reilly all posted wins for the team. One player who really stood out to Coach Riggio was freshman Taylor Harpin.

“Taylor hits the ball like 800 miles per hour, and she kept our team rolling with laughter,” Riggio said. “She’s tall, and she has a rocket of a backhand. She’s a lefty, and I’m looking forward to her growth and her having a regular position for next season.”

All in all, Riggio feels glad that she had the privilege to coach a Warriors’ team that featured so many quality tennis players who are also great kids.

“I would say that the best part of the season was having the time with the girls and their camaraderie. These kids are just fantastic,” said Riggio. “They have so much to offer and are so much fun to be around. We’re really lucky. They are genuinely good kids.”

Riggio thanked Valley Regional Athletic Director Jeff Swan, Athletic Administrative Assistant Sheila Robida, and Valley’s facilities staff for their support in her first season as the Warriors’ head coach.

• The Valley Regional girls’ tennis team’s varsity roster included senior captains Ellie Flynn and Emma Hunt Bauman; fellow senior Saffron Reilly; juniors Tori Adamczyk, Allie Champion, and Jessica Weinstein; sophomores Caroline Baldwin, Jill deJongh, Myah Martinez, Grace Proctor, Honor Reilly, and Brynn Steevels; and freshmen Alex Halsey, Taylor Harpin, and Ada Ramos.

• The Warriors’ regular-season victories this season came against North Branford (4-3 and 5-2), Haddam-Killingworth (4-3), Old Saybrook (4-3 and 5-2), Portland (7-0 and 6-1), Morgan (6-1 and 7-0), Coginchaug (6-1 and 5-2), East Hampton/Hale-Ray (6-1 and 6-1), and Old Lyme (4-3). Valley’s defeats came versus Old Lyme (4-3), Cromwell (4-3 and 4-3), Westbrook (4-3 and 4-3), and Haddam-Killingworth (5-2).

• In the Class S State Tournament, the 12th-seeded Warriors took a 4-3 loss to No. 5 seed Westbrook in the first round.