Shore Regional High School accomplished plenty of feats in girls’ tennis over the past four years.
During that time, Shore Regional won three NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 1 sectional tournament titles and an NJSIAA Group 1 tournament title in 2015. That Group 1 crown was the only state championship in the program’s history.
The Blue Devils’ third state sectional title of this four-year run came this season. Shore Regional won the sectional championship with a 5-0 victory over New Egypt High School on Oct. 16.
Then, Shore Regional went on to advance to the Group 1 state final on Oct. 18 at Mercer County Park in West Windsor.
But, after edging Woodstown High School, 3-2, in the group semifinals that day, Shore Regional fell to Mountain Lakes High School, 4-1, in the Group 1 championship match.
Blue Devils’ coach Michele Gruskos was not upset after the loss.
Her team had a great season. It just ran into a better opponent on Oct. 18.
“We’re very proud of the team for getting to the state final,” Gruskos said. “It’s a big accomplishment.”
Senior first singles player Charlotte Roarty headlined this run for Shore Regional, and she finished her career with a sterling season, going 24-2 and winning both of her matches on Oct. 18. She also reached the round of 32 in the state singles tournament for the second straight year.
“Being able to make it here as a team is awesome,” Roarty said. “And for me personally, being able to make it to states, I’m just playing solidly. I’m happy. All the practice paid off.”
Roarty hopes to play tennis in college, too. She is deciding between three or four schools, and they all want her to play.
“That’s really exciting, to use my experience from here and take it on to the college level,” Roarty said.
Players behind Roarty had to step up for the Blue Devils to make it this far, and they did. Chloe Moore and Sophie Oglensky rose from second doubles in 2017 to second singles and third singles, respectively, in 2018. Both girls grew into singles players by taking “a lot of lessons over the past offseason,” Gruskos said.
And on Oct. 18, Moore, starting at second singles, won her semifinal match in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2. Oglensky, starting at third singles, also won her semifinal match, 6-3, 3-6, 10-7.
Shore Regional’s first doubles team, Mia Grunbaum and Grace Treshock, thrived in their second season as partners. They culminated their season with a convincing state semifinal victory over Woodstown’s first doubles team, 6-2, 6-1.
“To be able to play together two years in a row was a luxury for doubles players, and they have good chemistry on the court,” Gruskos said.
Moore, Grunbaum and second doubles player Sophia Pissane should return for Shore Regional next year. But Grukos’ other four starters were seniors. So, the challenge in 2019 will be reloading, and proving that the program can win without Roarty.
“The girls come together as a team,” Gruskos said. “They help each other, support each other and get better.”
