Geneva School’s Mary Boyce Deatherage has nearly 50 high school singles victories on her sparkling tennis resume and she still has three more years of eligibility.
The ninth grader is the 2021 Orlando Sentinel girls tennis player of the year after fashioning a 16-1 record this season in her fourth year of varsity play.
Lake Mary, led by another underclass standout, Jessica Maras, is the No. 1 team in the Sentinel Super Six rankings for the season.
Player of the Year
Mary Boyce Deatherage, Geneva School, Fr.
Buzz: Freshman phenom went 16-1 and her only singles loss came at the state tournament against top seed Emma Fernald of Clearwater Central Catholic. Deatherage dropped a tiebreaker, 7 points to 5, in the first set and lost 7-6, 6-2 against the eventual Class 1A state runner-up. She has a 48-6 singles record since starting for the varsity as a sixth grader.
Sentinel Standouts
Noelle D’Angelillo, Boone, Soph.
Buzz: Only losses at No. 1 singles and doubles (with freshman Grace Schultz) came in state tournament.
Dani Galeano, Bishop Moore, Sr.
Buzz: Compiled 16-3 record at No. 1, including losses to Deatherage, Maras and in 2A state semifinal.
Alyssa Novoa, Apopka, Fr.
Buzz: Only singles loss was three-setter against Lake Mary’s Maras in No. 1 district final.
Jessica Maras, Lake Mary, Soph.
Buzz: Sophomore standout went 18-1 in singles and 17-1 in doubles, losing only in state team quarterfinal matches.
Nomita Nanduri, Lake Nona, Jr.
Buzz: Compiled a 9-3 singles record with her only local loss coming against Lake Mary’s Maras.
Reagan Parker, The First Academy, Fr.
Buzz: Reagan and her twin sister, Reese, led the Royals to district and region team titles.
Sentinel Super Six team rankings
1. Lake Mary (16-1): Rams only loss came against state runner-up Miami Palmetto in a Class 4A quarterfinal.
2. Bishop Moore (18-2): The only regular season loss for Class 2A final four team was vs. Lake Mary 5-2.
3. Olympia (21-1): Titans only defeat came against Vero Beach 4-0 in 4A region final.
4. Winter Park (15-1-1): District champs’ only loss was 4-0 to Lake Mary in 4A region final.
5. Boone (11-3): Braves lost to Olympia, Winter Park and then Vero Beach in a region semifinal match.
6. The First Academy (14-3): District and region champs lost 5-2 to 1A state runner-up Naples Community School.
This story was first published at OrlandoSentinel.com. Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
