All-Area Girls Tennis: Sophia Catino leads New Hanover to first 4A state championship – Wilmington Star-News
The unparalleled success of New Hanover High School girls tennis player Sophia Catino only grew in 2023, solidifying the junior’s spot as New Hanover County’s best.
Catino, who helped New Hanover to its first NCHSAA 4A state championship this fall, has gone 76-5 through all competitions in the last two years. Even more impressive: she’s gone 57-3 at No. 1 singles in dual-team competition in her high school career.
“It was just surreal being there because I never thought coming into Hanover that we would make it that far, and so doing that was awesome,” Catino said of making the state championship this fall.
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Leading a New Hanover squad that hasn’t dropped a conference match in six years, Catino earns her third straight StarNews All-Area Girls Tennis Player of the Year honor.
“We always do really well in conference, but it’s kind of nice with having everything going on with school,” she said. “We can just have more fun, and it’s not as stressful.”
The Wildcats made history this season by reaching the state championship in the 4A classification, a first for any New Hanover County tennis team.
In a back-and-forth battle with Myers Park, New Hanover fell 5-4 in heartbreaking fashion on Nov. 4. While certainly devastating, Catino believes the adversity can make her team even better next season.
“You kind of just have to move on,” she said. “You can’t hang on to it, and I think it’s even more motivating (For next year) because we saw how much fun it was this year, and we want to actually win one.”
The junior knows replicating this fall’s success won’t come effortlessly, especially with the loss of four key seniors, but she remains optimistic about the future.
“It’s going to be a lot tougher (Next season) because we’re losing a lot of seniors who were pretty influential this year,” she said. “I think we have a really good group of freshman girls that came in and are sophomores who, if they keep playing in the offseason, can step up and fill some of those shoes.”
Another year of dominance hasn’t left Catino content, and she’s only growing to love tennis more each season.
“Honestly, it was just like the best year,” Catino said of this fall. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing high school tennis. I enjoyed every second of it.”
2023 StarNews All-Area Girls Tennis Player of the Year: Sophia Catino, New Hanover
Building off a terrific sophomore season last fall, Catino didn’t miss a step in 2023, going 24-4 at No. 1 Singles and leading the Wildcats to their first NCHSAA 4A state championship in program history. The junior also teamed up with fellow Junior Hannah Davis to go 14-0 at No. 1 Doubles.
2023 StarNews All-Area Girls Tennis: First Team
Hannah Davis, junior, New Hanover: Davis went 19-1 at No. 1 Doubles and teamed up with Catino for one of the area’s best doubles teams.
Lucy Dimock, senior, New Hanover: Dimock went 17-2 at No. 3 Singles, including a win in the NCHSAA 4A East Regional against Broughton on Nov. 1.
Elle Harmon, senior, New Hanover: Going 34-3 through all competitions, Morrison went 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4 singles in the NCHSAA 4A state championship.
Hailey Schreiber, junior, Hoggard: Leading Hoggard off at No. 1 Singles, Schreiber went 9-6 on the season as the Vikings finished second in the Mideastern Conference.
Carys Subach, sophomore, South Brunswick: Suabch went 13-2 at No. 1 Singles and 23-8 overall.
Alex Zakszeski, sophomore, Cape Fear Academy: Finishing the season with an overall record of 21-7, Zakszeski led Cape Fear Academy to an NCISAA 3A state championship victory.
2023 Starnews All-Area Girls Tennis: Second Team
Helen Bennington, Hoggard; Analise Garner, Laney; Karli Hartman, Topsail; Kathryn Hildreth, Hoggard; Laurryen Lennon, Laney; Caroline Morrison, New Hanover; Elizabeth Sifly, New Hanover; Liza Wells, Cape Fear Academy.
All Conference Teams
Mideastern Conference
Player of the Year: Sophia Catino, New Hanover
Coach of the Year: Jenifer Coleman, New Hanover
Team Sportsmanship: West Brunswick
First Team
Elle Harmon, New Hanover; Hailey Schreiber, Hoggard; Caroline Morrison, New Hanover; Hanna Davis, New Hanover; Carys Subach, South Brunswick; Lucy Dimock, New Hanover
Second Team
Helen Bennington, Hoggard; Laurryen Lennon, Laney; Elizabeth Sifly, New Hanover; Kathryn Hildreth, Hoggard; Karli Hartman, Topsail; Analise Garner, Laney
Third Team
Lucy Boswell, Hoggard; Kathryn Bennington, Hoggard; Julia Wagaman, South Brunswick; Annie Stidham, South Brunswick; Kendall Mills, Topsail; Ashley Subach, South Brunswick
Honorable Mention
Ashley: Kyla Bartlett Hoggard: Kris Foster
South Brunswick: Marie Dean
Topsail: Reed Garafano, Cayden Persechetti
West Brunswick: Hannah Cumbee
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