JCA girls tennis team members pose at the conference tournament with coaches Bob Tomasino and Terry Wrona.

Senior girls tennis team member Nina Bertino was recently tabbed the East Suburban Catholic Conference Singles Player of the Year. Bertino recently qualified for the IHSA State Tournament for the fourth consecutive year by finishing third in the Plainfield North sectional, and advanced to the final 16 in State Tournament play after winning her first three matches.

Bertino made history earlier this year, becoming the first JCA girls No. 1 singles player to win the ESCC conference tournament in over 20 years. Bertino joined teammates Maddie Bauer and McCoy Hutchison in representing the Angels at the State Tournament. The junior doubles tandem of Bauer and Hutchison (both two-time state qualifiers) also made a run into the final 16 at the State Tournament by winning their first three matches last week.

Overall, the Angels finished tied for eighth place as a team at the tournament, which featured over 150 high schools represented. Bertino, Bauer, and Hutchison were the last Joliet area players remaining in the IHSA tournament after their first three victories secured spots in the top 16.