By Bobby Narang –
West Aurora High School senior Maria Goheen made sure the weather would not be a factor in her final high school tennis match.
Despite 20-mile-per-hour winds and temperatures dipping into the low 40s, it was Summer time for Goheen in her Class 2A Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State championship singles match against Lake Forest’s Kiley Rabjohns Saturday at Buffalo Grove High School.
With most of large crowd bundled up in Winter gear, Goheen, just like Rabjohns, chose attire for suited for a warm Summer afternoon in July.
“The weather was a big factor,” Goheen said. “But I had to block it out and play my tennis. I knew it would be a tough match and I just had to battle through the weather.”
Rabjohns, a sophomore, managed to defeat Goheen, 6-3, 6-3, in the State championship singles. It was the first defeat of the season for Goheen, a Rosary High School transfer, in almost two years. For her career, Goheen left a memorable mark. Last season, she teamed up with Elizabeth Stefancic to win the 2A State doubles championship. Goheen, a three-time State qualifier, notched three sectional championships. She finished 35-1 this season, and is the lone West Aurora player to advance to the State finals in singles and doubles.
“Maria is a really smart player,” West Aurora head coach Bruce Fraser said. “She’s a once in a lifetime for a coach.”
After transferring from Rosary following her freshman season, Goheen did not play high school tennis during her sophomore season.
Goheen, an Army recruit to play college tennis, said the top-seeded Rabjohns played really well in the tough conditions.
“She played better in the wind,” Goheen said. “I wish today was indoors with the conditions. I have played her before, but that was a long time ago. I knew she was good and I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
• In doubles play, Wheaton Warrenville South’s Samantha Choi and Emily Orlove capped an odd season by winning the State doubles championship. They defeated Stevenson’s Alaina and Athena Kolli 6-1, 6-0, to claim the program’s first championship since head coach Patti Clousing’s daughter, Keisha, won the singles championship in 2012.
Choi and Orlove only played doubles on the same team in select matches.
“They played singles for us during conference because we knew we could get more points with their ability level that way,” Clousing said. “We won the (DuKane) Conference, so that strategy worked out very well. On the weekends and in non-conference matches, they played doubles so they could have a (won-loss) record going into the sectional meeting.
“They are very high level players with high rankings. They also have great volleys. Sam has touch on the ball and Emily has consistency with her power and volleys, so with that combination, they came together in the State tournament.”
• West Aurora was in 10th place and Wheaton Warrenville South tied for eighth place in the larger Class 2A with St. Ignatius Prep. Hinsdale Central won the team championship with 23 points, one point ahead of Lake Forest. Glenbard West took fifth place.
• In Class 1A, Kaneland tied for fourth place with Chicago Payton and University High of Chicago. North Shore County Day won the championship. Timothy Christian was in 10th place.
• Click here to see the IHSA football playoff pairings.