Fox Chapel and Knoch tennis players set their sights on PIAA titles

By: Michael Love
Thursday, October 31, 2019 | 5:38 PM

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After helping Fox Chapel win its first PIAA Class AAA team tennis title since 2004, No. 1 singles player Charlotte James will turn her attention to the state singles tournament in Hershey this weekend. After winning doubles titles as a freshman and a sophomore with teammate Amanda Nord, the 2019 WPIAL singles champion has experience as well.

“I’ve definitely played on those courts many times, so it’s a familiar place,” James said. “This time, in singles, there is a lot of good players in the tournament, and I think I definitely have some confidence going into it.”

James said she is looking forward to the opportunity to win the first PIA singles title in Fox Chapel history.

“That would be awesome to bring back to my school,” James said. “It’s definitely something I’m looking for, but I’m not going to try and think about that this weekend. I just want to go out there and do what I need to do.”

James will begin her singles title run Friday against junior Caroline Corcoran from Hershey.

Knoch also will be represented in Hershey as WPIAL champion Laura Greb and runner-up Brooke Bauer will play in the Class AA singles tournament for the third time in as many years.

“That prior experience at states will help both of them a great deal,” Knoch coach Nancy Conlon said. “They already know some of the big names coming back and are ready for some tough matches.”

Greb finished as the PIAA runner-up in 2017 and lost in the semifinals last year. Bauer was a quarterfinalist each of the past two seasons.

The juniors will open the tournament Friday at 11:30 a.m. The quarterfinals will be at 5 p.m., with the semifinals Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Greb and Bauer are on the opposite sides of the bracket, and a WPIAL finals rematch could occur in the finals, set for Saturday at 3 p.m.

“Both Laura and Brooke are going in with a positive attitude and hoping to take it as far as they can,” Conlon said.

WPIAL doubles champions Libby Conlon and Ally Bauer will make their PIAA doubles tournament debuts Friday at 1 p.m. against the District 4 runners-up.

Conlon, a senior, also has a great deal of PIAA experience having competed in multiple team tournaments, including last weekend in Hershey as the Knights advanced to the finals before losing to Sewickley Academy.

Coach Conlon said Ally Bauer, a freshman, played well in her first PIAA tournament. She went undefeated at No. 3 singles.

“The nerves didn’t get to her,” coach Conlon said. “She played with confidence, and she’s ready to go this weekend.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Fox Chapel, Knoch