Multi-sport athletes have dwindled at the high school level.
Although Cathedral Prep’s Paige Patsy is one of them, her current status is rarer than that.
Not only is the sophomore a multi-sport athlete for the Ramblers, but a multi-sport, one-season athlete.
Patsy is in her second season with Prep’s girls tennis team. Her latest win as its No. 1 singles starter, a 6-0, 6-1 over Fairview’s Hannah Nichols, also contributed to Thursday’s 4-1 victory vs. the Tigers.
That outcome at the Salata Tennis Complex left Prep with sole possession of first place in District 10’s Region 2 standings. The Ramblers improved to 4-0, with their overall record now 5-0.
The Tigers returned to their campus at 4-1, 7-2.
Patsy, though, decided to test her time-management skills this fall. She’s also listed as a libero for Prep’s 2024 girls volleyball program.
“I just wanted that experience,” Patsy said. “I like being on each team. It’s been fun so far.”
The tennis version of Patsy performed well enough during the preseason to succeed Anna Poranski as the Ramblers’ No. 1 singles starter.
Poranski, who graduated as a three-time district Class 2A singles titlist, is early in her freshman season for Grove City College.
“She was a great player,” Patsy said, “so I’m (honored) I now get to start at No. 1.”
Finleigh Handzel and Sophia Glance helped Prep sweep Thursday’s singles matches. Lilli Beuchert and Margaret Prichard (No. 2 doubles) accounted for the Ramblers’ fourth team point.
Tumultuous time for Tigers
Parinita Satheesh and Jenna Szklenski, Fairview’s starters for Thursday’s No. 2 doubles match, prevented the visitors from being shut out. They split 7-6 sets with Prep’s Laura Hetrick and Katie Kuhar, and then won an agreed-upon 10-6 tiebreaker.
Rick Sertz, despite Thursday’s loss, was proud of the Tigers’ overall record in a season already unlike any other he’s experienced in a varsity coaching career that began in 1986.
Fairview’s coaches and players learned the weekend of Aug. 9, days before the official start to the PIAA’s new season, that junior Vivian Liu wouldn’t compete.
Liu was the district’s defending Class 3A singles gold medalist. She cited a lingering health issue and academics as reasons for her decision, according to Sertz.
The Tigers also have a robust record even though they’ve yet to host matches at the Chris Batchelor Memorial Courts.
Nor will they.
Fairview’s courts are being repaved and won’t be cured before the end of its regular season.
“We’re vagabonds,” Sertz said. “We couldn’t have our summer (tennis) program at home. We can’t practice at home. We’ve practiced at Girard, at Harbor Creek, at McDowell and at Westwood (Racquet) Club.
“I’m so proud of this team when you think about all of this (adversity).”
Fairview will “host” Prep on Oct. 1 at courts to be determined.
‘An awesome experience’
Poranski wasn’t the only notable loss for Prep’s girls tennis team from a year ago.
The current Ramblers have yet to lose with rookie coach Ryan Deimel. The Prep and Edinboro University graduate was hired to replace Mary Jean Taylor, who resigned after 11 seasons and moved with her husband back to their native Buffalo.
Deimel’s hiring was no reach for Prep. Besides formerly competing for the Ramblers and Fighting Scots, he’s a certified teaching professional at Westwood and the Kahkwa Club’s assistant tennis director.
Coaching tennis at the varsity level, be it Prep or elsewhere, was a longtime goal for Deimel.
“This has been an awesome experience so far,” he said. “These girls are amazing. It’s like having 16 daughters.”
Prep will travel to Ohio’s Western Reserve Academy for two non-region duals this Saturday. They’ll face the host Pioneers at 9 a.m. and then Medina’s Highland Hornets at noon.
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cathedral Prep girls tennis beats Fairview for first place in Region 2
