There is no question that LZHS, much like most high schools in Illinois, is a football school. As a result of this, other fall sports can at times be overlooked by the noise of the football team’s success. This year however, the girls’ tennis team has been drawing attention of their own.

Like most sports, the team practices two hours a day, five days a week (excluding match days). Unlike most sports however, the girls compete in a tournament every Saturday of the season, which lasts the duration of the day, 7am to 5pm. All together, the team clocks in at least 20 hours a week.

“It’s a lot,” Sam Bendfeldt, junior, said, “but we put in a lot of time and work really hard in the offseason, which has helped us to become more successful than we have been.”

In truth, that may be the best way of putting it. The team has had their best season in recent history, boasting a 7-7 record, as well as placing in or winning tournaments, such as the Crystal Lake Invite on September 23.

The success of the team is attributed to many components, all seeming to come together in one year.

“We are a much better team than we were last year,” Aaron Rogers, head coach, said. “Last year we were a much younger team. While we are still young this year, we have a lot more experience.”

The teams’ experience comes from all levels, from the underclassmen to the upper classmen.

“We have a lot of upperclassman this year,” Bendfeldt said. “Out of our eleven, only four are underclassman. A lot of the seniors have stepped up and led by getting the team united and keeping us upbeat and pushing us to be better. Also, me and Sam Wilson have tried to step up and focus on helping the younger kids on the team.”

While the team rosters a heavy upperclassman population, the underclassman have made a name of their own. The roster only includes four underclassman: sophomores Gabrielle Bendfeldt, Emily Leahy and Stephanie Johnson, as well as freshman, Brenna Casey. Doubles pair Gabrielle Bendfeldt and Leahy have placed second in several tournaments.

“The sophomores are young, but they push people really hard. Two of the sophomores [Gabrielle Bendfeldt and Leahy] are at the top of my lineup,” Rogers said. “They are kind of goofy, so whenever things get too serious, they really bring us back down to earth.”

On top of the sophomore duet, freshman Brenna Casey brings her own experience to the team.

            “She brings a lot of energy to the team,” Rogers said. “She has a lot of competitive background, so although she is a freshman, she is used to playing in tournaments, even more so than our upperclassmen.”

The team is led by Rogers, who took on head coach in 2010.

            With the season’s success, the team has high hopes of setting a new bar for the program. The girls’ current conference is one of the toughest, putting the Bears up against powerhouses Lake Forest and Deerfield.

            “There is always a chance at making State, every year,” Bendfeldt said. “But this year, we are doing really well in tournaments, so depending on how we compete in sectionals, I would say we have a greater chance than we have had before.”