Newsday's All-Long Island girls tennis team 2023
The All-Long Island girls tennis first team at Newsday studios on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Front row, from left: Lina Vases of Manhasset, Andrea Vases of Manhasset, Nina Wiese of Garden City, Angelina Bravo of Garden City, Kayla Castellano of Garden City, Emilia Romano of Bayport-Blue Point, Evie Romano of Bayport-Blue Point. Back row, from left: Julia Stabile of Westhampton, Matilda Buchen of Westhampton, Kailin Gochna of North Shore, Anya Konopka of Smithtown East, Kylie Person of Sayville, Meredith Albertelli of Sayville, Maria Perez of Middle Country, Coach Curtis McCalla of St. Anthony's. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
LONG ISLAND PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nina Wiese, Garden City, Sr.
Wiese combined mental toughness and strategic thinking with power, speed and accuracy to win the state and county championships and help lead the Trojans through a compelling run from a second-tier division to the Nassau large school team championship match. After going 25-0 in singles matches, Garden City coach Crystal Boyd called her “the total package” and “the best player I’ve seen come out of Nassau County.”
SUFFOLK PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Matilda Buchen (Jr.) and Julia Stabile (Sr.), Westhampton
The Hurricanes tandem defended their Suffolk individual doubles title and capped a phenomenal season by capturing the NYSPHSAA individual doubles championship. Stabile and Buchen split time between singles and doubles in team play – each going 9-0 at singles – as Westhampton reached the county title match. Their record together in doubles was 19-0.
SINGLES
Kailin Gochna, North Shore, Sr.
Gochna made a splash in her return to high school tennis after three seasons away. She reached the title match at the Nassau individual championships and closed the season by taking eighth in the state tourney. Her final record was 20-4.
Anya Konopka, Smithtown East, Jr.
The power-hitting Konopka earned her second All-Long Island selection after winning the Suffolk individual singles title. She reached the round of 16 in the state championships and was 18-1.
Maria Perez, Middle County, Sr.
The speedy baseliner cracks the first team after making the second team a year ago. Perez reached the Suffolk individual singles title match, qualified for the state tournament and made the Sweet 16 there. She finished 20-3.
Angel Walia, Herricks, Jr.
A second-teamer a year ago, Walia used her relentless, dogged style of play this season to take third place in the Nassau individual singles championships. She followed that up with an impressive fifth-place finish at the state championships and was 19-5 for the season.
DOUBLES
Kayla Castellano (Sr.) and Angelina Bravo (Fr.), Garden City
Castellano’s relentless consistency and Bravo’s craftiness at the net proved a dynamic combination as they won the Nassau individual doubles title and finished third in the state. They also were cornerstones of the Trojans’ surprising run to the Nassau large school title match; Castellano was 17-0 at singles and Bravo, mostly paired with Chelsea Ching, was 16-1 at doubles.
Kylie Person (Sr.) and Meredith Albertelli (Sr.), Sayville
The Golden Flashes duo was 16-2, took third place in the Suffolk individual championships and reached the Round of 16 at the state championships. When they weren’t paired in team play, Albertelli was 7-0 at singles and Person was 2-0 at singles and 6-1 at doubles.
Emilia Romano (Jr.) and Evie Romano (Fr.), Bayport-Blue Point
The Romano sisters went 12-3, reaching the Suffolk title match and then taking seventh place at the state championships. They played major roles as the Phantoms won the Suffolk small school championship. In team play, Emilia Romano was 11-1 at singles and 5-0 at doubles and Evie Romano posted a 13-4 mark in doubles.
Andrea Vases (Sr.) and Lina Vases (So.), Manhasset
Though Manhasset struggled in team play, the Vases sisters turned it into a special year when they were teamed for the postseason. They reeled off four straight wins to reach the Nassau final, advanced to the state tournament and rode a pair of gritty comebacks to take fourth place.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Curtis McCalla, St. Anthony’s
McCalla oversaw a dominating season for the Friars as they went 11-1, captured the state Catholic team championship and produced the state Catholic champions in individual singles and individual doubles.
SECOND TEAM
SINGLES
Kati Cotek, Cold Spring Harbor, Sr.
Lola Dangin, Ross School, 8th Grade
Madison Lee, Great Neck South, So.
Isabella Spilotros, Smithtown West, Sr.
Paige Wygodzki, St. Anthony’s, Fr.
DOUBLES
Zia Mukherjee (Jr.) and Stephanie Marcheret (So.), Syosset
Peyton Quinn (Sr.) and Samantha Wiemann (So.), St. Anthony’s
Anjali Raza (Fr.) and Christina Zhao (So.), Half Hollow Hills East
Josie Rudloff (Sr.) And Aya Deckman (Fr.), Harborfields
Manami Wakazono (Sr.) and Diya Varma (8th Grade), Syosset
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.