LONG ISLAND PLAYER OF THE YEAR: ANGEL WALIA, Herricks, Sr.
In the final days of the 2024 girls tennis season, Walia put together one of its best stories.
The Herricks senior came away disappointed after a third-place finish in singles at the Nassau County Individual Championships and then made a three-day march through the field at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to win the state singles championship. Her county finish only landed her the No. 6 seeding for the state tournament, but she beat the top three seeded players in the draw to take the crown. She is a three-time all-Long Island selection, making the first team the past two seasons.
In the title match against Olivia Dartawan of Niskayuna, Walia prevailed 6-2, 7-6 (4) by winning the last six points of the tiebreaker and finished her season with a 22-2 record.
“It means a lot to me because I’ve been playing for six years and this is my last year in high school tennis, so I really wanted to end it on a good note,” Walia said. “I think this is the best note I could possibly go out on.”
SUFFOLK PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: EMILIA ROMANO (Sr.) and EVIE ROMANO (Soph.), Bayport-Blue Point
The Romano sisters both earned their second all-Long Island first team selections after not only playing instrumental roles in the Phantoms’ run to a fourth straight Suffolk County small school team title but also a first Long Island championship. Playing doubles together in both the regular season and end-of-season tournaments, they had a 16-3 record, won the Suffolk Individual doubles crown and finished eighth in the state tournament. In team play and on their own, Emilia was 10-1 in singles and doubles and Evie was 8-4 in singles and doubles.
SINGLES
ANGELINA BRAVO, Garden City, Soph.
An All-Long Island first teamer last season as half of the Nassau County doubles champion, Bravo is back this time as the county singles champion. She followed that up by taking sixth place at the state tournament and finished the season with an 18-4 record.
Credit: Anthony Florio
ANYA KONOPKA, Smithtown East, Sr.
Konopka earned her third All-Long Island first team selection after winning her second consecutive Suffolk County singles title and finishing seventh in the state tournament. Her record for the season was 26-2.
SOFIA PEREZ, Mount Sinai, Fr.
Perez made an impressive run to the singles title match at the Suffolk County Individual Championships and went on to reach the Sweet 16 in the state tournament. She had a 22-5 record this season.
ALEX RAIKOS, Mepham, Sr.
Raikos had a sensational regular season in which she went 13-0 and dropped only four games. At the Nassau County Individual Championships, she took third place and earned a spot in the state public school tournament. Her season record was 16-2.
DOUBLES
MATILDA BUCHEN (Sr.) and AVA BORRUSO (Fr.), Westhampton
Buchen earned her second All-Long Island first team selection and Borruso her first as they helped the Hurricanes reach the Suffolk team title match and then took second in the county individual doubles tournament and sixth place in the state tournament. The Westhampton pairing was 25-3 on the season.
MADISON LEE (Jr.) and GABRIELLE VILLEGAS (7th Grade), Great Neck South
Each had an exceptional season playing singles in team play, but something special happened when they became a doubles team. Villegas and Lee went 9-1 as a pairing, capturing the Nassau County doubles title and reaching the championship match of the state tournament. GNS reached a county semifinal with Villegas going 13-1 and Lee 11-2 in singles, respectively. Lee is an All-Long Island pick for the third time and second as a first teamer.
ALEX KROL (Sr.) and CHLOE GROSS (Soph.), Roslyn
Their play in singles – where Gross was 15-2 and Krol was 9-5 – helped the Bulldogs to an appearance in the county team tennis semifinals, but the Bulldogs’ duo really made a splash when they teamed up for the Nassau County Individual Championships. Krol and Gross reached the championship match, qualified for the state tournament and took fifth place. They were 8-2 as a team.
PEIGHTON MCNULTY (Sr.) and JENNA FAMOLARI (So.), St. Anthony’s
The Friars captured their second straight CHSAA state team championship with McNulty going 10-0 in doubles and Famolari finishing 9-1 in singles. They then paired up and won four matches to win the CHSAA state individual doubles title. McNulty was also a 2022 all-Long Island second teamer.
COACH OF THE YEAR: John Selvaggio, Bayport-Blue Point
Selvaggio guided the Phantoms (20-1) to a season unlike any other in Suffolk County small school history. They won their fourth straight county team championship, their first Long Island title and reached the state championship match. The season-opening 20-match win streak included victories over both finalists for the county large school title.
SECOND TEAMSINGLES
Victoria Abayev, Copaigue, Fr.
Lily Castka, Bayport-Blue Point, Soph.
Lola Dangin, Ross School, Fr.
Sofia Matos, Longwood, 8th Grade
Anika Tolat, Roslyn, Sr.
DOUBLES
Samantha Heyman (Jr.) and Emma Wilck (Jr.), Half Hollow Hills East
Erica Jud (Sr.) and Natalie Ion (Jr.), North Shore
Devan Lange (Sr.) and Madison Neary (Sr.), St. Anthony’s
Evie Loewy (Soph.) and Christine Karman (Sr.), Port Washington
Lillien Weiss (8th Grade) and Luana Carmo (7th Grade), Ross School
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.