Excitement is brewing on the tennis courts at Woodrow Wilson High School this year and for good reason.
Head coach Bernard Bostick returns a solid batch of veterans complimented by a talented group of freshman this year.
“I am have 10 guys and 12 girls this year. It comes and goes, but we have slowly built a program. Everybody is out here every day and they are very coachable, focused and competitive. I don’t have any kids that I have to yell at though. That is disappointing,” Bostick said, laughing. “I think some of that is because more people are getting involved in tennis. The city has a summer league and it gives the kids some competition. They really like playing.”
After a strong showing last year, Bostick feels his boys team should be even better overall, even though he will have to find a replacement for his top player from last year, Isaac Roop.
“We do have a freshman that I feel like can fill his shoes in Ram Asaithambi,” Bostick said. “Ram plays really well and is very mature for his age. His game is not lacking in anything, but he is still at the point where he wants to learn. We are looking for him to do some good things.”
Rahul Ilanguvan played No. 2 seed singles last year for Woodrow Wilson and he will again hold down that position.
“He is kind of our team leader. Rahul has great ground strokes and is a fearless player. He really works hard and is always out here when you need him to be,” Bostick said. “He made it to states last year and lost a tie-breaker in the first round. I think he has learned from that and hopefully will go back.”
Junior Isaiah Lawrence and sophomore Cam Johnson both qualified for the state tournament last year and will play No. 3 and No. 4 seed singles respectively.
Asaithambi and Ilanguvan will combine to play No. 1 seed doubles, while Lawrence and Johnson will play No. 2 seed doubles.
A pair of youngsters will fill up the final doubles team for Bostick.
“No. 3 doubles will be a freshman Ethan Shepherd and sophomore Jean Ouendeno,” Bostick said. “Those two guys can get to any ball that is hit to them. The still have some things to learn and they work on them every day. We are hoping to see them improve a lot.”
Senior Dom Rotellini is Bostick’s super-sub and will see action in both singles and doubles.
Woodrow Wilson’s most accomplished player is on the girls side in senior Elysia Salon. All-state, Final Four participant and state runner-up as a freshman are all part of Salon’s decorated resume.
Salon could not play her sophomore year due to the season being cancelled by the pandemic.
“Elysia is motivated and focused this year. Between her, Ram and Rahul, they get out there and there is no love lost,” Bostick said. “They get after it and it’s bragging rights for that day. They talk absolute trash to each other and we love it. It makes everybody tougher.”
Playing No. 2 singles for the girls will be Abby Dillon. Tennis will be the fourth varsity sport played this year by the freshman sensation.
“Abby is in phenomenal shape and she just motors,” Bostick said. “In her first real match, she was down 0-5 and came back to win 8-5. She won eight straight games. She is tough and will only get better.”
Sophomore Presley Jarrell will hold down the No. 3 seed singles for Woodrow Wilson in her second season. Bostick describes Jarrell as a smooth player that is smart and loves the game.
Freshman Izzy Umberger will play No. 4 seed singles.
“Abby and Izzy played together this summer and both of them decided to come out this year, which is great,” Bostick said. “Izzy is also in phenomenal shape and she too can run everything down. They are all competitors.”
Salon and Dillon were a deadly combination this year on the volleyball court will now join forces to play No. 1 seed doubles. Jarrell and Umberger will play No. 2 seed doubles.
Holding down No. 3 seed doubles will be senior Karlie Priddy and junior D.J. Fragile.
“They played well together last year and have a good court chemistry,” Bostick said.
Part of the chemistry building process for Woodrow Wilson has been its annual trip to the Eastern Panhandle over spring break.
“That is the single most important thing that we do, outside of regionals,” Bostick said. “We will play eight matches in three days in a state tournament atmosphere. They are all good teams. There have been times when we are the worst team up there, but when we come back, we are much improved.”
“The weather is usually bad, so that makes them tougher too,” Bostick went on to say. “A lot of people think tennis players are soft, but mine aren’t. I am not going to let that happen and they don’t want it to happen.”
The exhibition boys team consists of senior Daegon Miller-Frost, junior Lance Christiansen, and freshman Cohen Shrader. The girls exhibition team members are senior Jillian Weatherford, sophomore Nyanja Lawson, freshman Maggie Adkins, sophomores Tyler Asamoah and MacKenzie McDaniels, as well as freshman Gracie Taylor.
Over the first three weeks of the regular season, the boys team is off to a 9-0 start, while the girls have also been impressive at 7-2.
