Naples Daily News 2019 All-Area Girls Tennis Team

Girls Tennis Player of the Year finalists

Chelsea Bluestein

School: Seacrest 

Year: Eighth grade

Highlights: Bluestein took an undefeated 13-0 record into the Class 1A state semifinals before falling, 6-3, 7-6 (5) to eventual state champion Franceca Salvato of Palmer Trinity. Bluestein dominated the district tournament, taking out fellow first-teamers Aiden Denman and Lily Dounchis in straight sets en route to the title.

Aiden Denman

School: First Baptist Academy

Year: Junior

Highlights: Denman posted an 8-3 record at No. 1 singles, including a pair of hard-fought losses to district champ and state semifinalist Chelsea Bluestein. The No. 1 singles player for the Lions four years running, Denman posted a 44-6 overall singles mark and advanced to a pair of district championship matches.

Emma Heiderscheit

School: Gulf Coast

Year: Senior

Highlights: The one constant in a four-year dominance by the Sharks, Heiderscheit has been a vital cog on three Final Four teams – including a state title in 2017 and another championship appearance this year. The Davidson signee never lost a regular-season, district or regional match.

First team

Lily Dounchis

School: Community School

Year: Eighth grade

Highlights: Dounchis was the top player for a Seahawks team that advanced to the Class 1A team championship match. She teamed with Kaitlyn Quevedo to win a pair of regional matches at No. 1 doubles, helping the Seahawks advance to the state tournament.

Zoe Rosu

School: Gulf Coast

Year: Senior

Highlights: Rosu served as the No. 2 singles player for the state finalist Sharks, teaming with Emma Heiderscheit to go undefeated at No. 1 doubles through regionals. The Ashland University signee was undefeated in her career in regular-season, district and regional matches.

Second team

Jaeda Cooper, Barron Collier

Nikki Perrino, Golden Gate

Kaitlyn Quevedo, Community School

Lauren Schave, Barron Collier

Emma Schilling, Gulf Coast

Honorable mention

Barron Collier: Solana Gonzales, Lauren Waylonis

Community School: Brooke Jaffe

First Baptist: Alexis Baker, Bella Heaslip

Lely: Victoria Novotny

Golden Gate: Lindsey Abellard, Mya Gutierrez

Gulf Coast: QiQi Anderson, Nikki Okenka

Naples: Grace Avalone, Rori Nichols

Palmetto Ridge: Jaclyn Rakich

Seacrest: Julia Covelli

Coach of the Year

Mark Voorhees

School: Gulf Coast

Highlights: Voorhees led the Sharks to a fourth straight district and regional championship. Under Voorhees, the Sharks have made three state semifinal appearances, winning the championship in 2017 and advancing to the state final this year.

How we select the All-Area teams

At the conclusion of each high school season, the Naples Daily News staff sends area coaches a nomination form to select and rank players for our All-Area first teams and to also nominate athletes for second team and honorable mention. A combination of Naples Daily News research and the coaches’ player rankings lead to the teams being selected and three athletes being named finalists for player of the year. The three finalists are invited to The Southwest Florida Sports Awards to be held Tuesday, May 21 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, where a player of the year for each will be announced along with other honors. Jacksonville Jaguars fullback Tommy Bohanon, a North Fort Myers High School graduate, will be the featured speaker. Tickets for the event can be purchased at sportsawards.news-press.com.