BOYS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jake Benzal
Franklin, senior
An exchange student from Cabrils, Spain, 30 minutes outside Barcelona, Benzal did not lose a set in 23 matches en route to the Region VI and Maryland state singles titles. Displaying an enormous first serve and a thunderous, heavy topspin forehand, Benzal defeated 2001 state champion Jason Pinsky of Churchill, 6-4, 6-4, in the final of this year's tournament. In the regular season, he downed 2001 state finalist Chase Dawson of Dulaney, 7-5, 6-2.
Benzal, who played on the Spanish junior national team and in the qualifying rounds of two ATP tournaments two years ago before injuring his right shoulder, is deciding whether to accept a scholarship from the University of Texas. According to 21-year head coach Warren White, Benzal's state championship is the first at Franklin, boys or girls, singles or doubles.
"If Jake never hit a tennis ball, the most impressive thing about him would be his personality," White said. "You're obviously impressed by his tennis skills, but you're equally impressed with his people skills. He would hit with anyone on the team. He's just an outstanding individual and a good role model."
GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Messmer
McDonogh, junior
Messmer does not get much attention, because she plays in a conference that has its matches in the fall. But one thing is certain: Since the day Messmer arrived in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland, she has owned the trophy.
Messmer has played in the top spot for the Eagles all three of her seasons, and she has compiled a 40-0 career record. Messmer has lost only one set in her high school career, and that came in her freshman year. She has posted a clean sheet the past two seasons.
This year, Messmer went 12-0 and won her third straight IAAM A Conference singles title. On the national scene, Messmer is ranked No. 201 out of 905 players that are eligible for a national ranking in the USTA's 18-and-under division. This spring, she won two matches at the prestigious Easter Bowl national tournament.
"She has such a strong baseline game," McDonogh coach Diane Young said. "She really wallops the ball and pins her opponents back. And she also has great touch with her volleys."
COACH OF THE YEAR
Laddie Levy
McDonogh
With a team of only two seniors, Levy led the Eagles to a 12-3 record and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title. Levy has coached tennis at McDonogh for 25 years. In his 13 seasons as the Eagles' varsity head coach, he has led McDonogh to nine MIAA/MSA championships and a 140-7 record against fellow MIAA/MSA foes.
This season, McDonogh took three of the five individual titles at the conference tournament. Junior Adil Mumtaz took the No. 3 singles title, while the No. 1 doubles team of sophomore Corey Chow and junior Aaron Szabo and the No. 2 doubles team of senior Alex Pugatch and sophomore Shalin Parikh won their respective flights.
THE TEAM
Brian Crook
Loyola, junior
The third seed in the MIAA A Conference tournament after suffering regular-season defeats to fellow All-County/City competitors Gary Simonette of Calvert Hall and Hillen Smith of Boys' Latin, this junior won two three-setters to take the conference title.
Crook avenged one of his losses by taking down Simonette, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the final. Crook posted a 10-2 record this season facing the area's toughest competition.
Katie Ficken
Garrison Forest, junior
A transfer from Philadelphia, Ficken went 12-2 with both losses coming to Messmer, including a 6-4, 6-2 setback for the IAAM A Conference title back in the fall.
Ficken did not lose a set this season except against Messmer. She is currently ranked 29th in the 18-and-under division of the Middle States Section, which is comprised of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
Anna Friedman
City, sophomore
Friedman followed up her runner-up finish in the 2001 city tournament with the title in 2002. This season, Friedman avenged her only regular-season loss to Western's Josette Wiggins with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-1 victory in the city title match.
Last season, Friedman lost the city title match in three sets. Friedman is a two-time All-County/City selection and finished the season with a 12-2 record.
Beatrice Grasu
Franklin, junior
Overcoming adversity for the second straight season, Grasu, a junior, reached the finals of the Maryland state tournament before falling, 6-0, 6-3, to Glenelg junior Marianne Baker for the second year in-a-row.
Grasu, a three-time All-City/County selection who has lost in the state finals three straight years, played only three regular-season matches as a result of mononucleosis. She recovered in time, however, to post an 11-1 record, win the No. 2 singles title at the county tournament and claim the Region VI title.
Last season, Grasu did exactly the same after missing a considerable portion of the season as a result of surgery to both her feet.
Ashley Harvey
Catonsville, freshman
This 14-year-old burst on the scene to win the first 14 matches of her high school career. Harvey dominated the county tournament, losing just four games in three matches and defeating Franklin's Brooke Rogers, 6-1, 6-0, in the final.
She finished the season 14-2, losing to Grasu, 6-4, 6-2, in the Region VI tournament final and falling to Johanna Bezjak of J.M. Bennett, 7-5, 6-4, in the first round of the state tournament.
Matthew Jacobson
Pikesville, junior
A surprise champion at the county tournament, this junior essentially completed the tennis cycle with his 6-1, 6-1 victory over Hereford's Jeff Borowitz. As a sophomore, Jacobson won the county doubles tournament, and as a freshman, he won the county mixed doubles tournament.
Jacobson finished with a 12-2 record and was a finalist to Jake Benzal at the Region VI tournament. At the state tournament, he fell to Jason Pinsky of Winston Churchill in the quarterfinals.
Justin Rofel
Gilman, senior
A three-time All-City/County selection, this senior finished 9-2 with his only defeats coming to Brian Crook. Rofel also defeated the MIAA A Conference champion once this season.
Rofel is headed to the University of Colorado, where he will attempt to walk on to the tennis team.
Brooke Rogers
Franklin, junior
For the second straight season, Rogers was thrust into the No. 1 spot as a result of teammate Beatrice Grasu's bad luck. And for the second straight season the junior shined in the role.
Rogers won all 11 of her regular-season matches before falling in the final of the county tournament to Ashley Harvey, 6-1, 6-0. Rogers, a three-time All-City/County selection, finished the season with a 14-2 record.
Gary Simonette
Calvert Hall, sophomore
This left-handed sophomore took over the Cardinals' No. 1 spot when last year's Player of the Year and MIAA A Conference champion Joey Atas decided to concentrate on a national tournament schedule.
In his place, Simonette compiled a 9-2 record and advanced to the final of the MIAA A Conference tournament before losing to Brian Crook in three sets. He is a two-time All-City/County selection and has a 21-2 career record in two seasons.
Hillen Smith
Boys' Latin, junior
This talented player, who has compiled a 23-8 record over the past three seasons, makes his first appearance on the All-City/County team.
Smith went 6-4 this season in the Lakers' top spot, after going 8-2 at No. 1 singles a year ago and 9-2 at No. 2 singles as a freshman. His big win this season was a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over eventual MIAA A Conference champion Brian Crook.