Windermere Prep middle-school girls tennis wins GOAC

The future sure is bright for the Windermere Prep girls tennis program.

The girls middle-school team for the Lakers completed an undefeated season earlier this month by taking first place at the Great Orlando Athletic Conference Championship, besting teams such as Trinity Prep, Lake Highland Prep and The First Academy, among others.

The quartet of Reagan Parker, Carissa Ruiz, Reese Parker and Isabella Scherer has been dominant all season, with Reagan and Carissa — the team’s No. 1 and No. 2, respectively — not losing a match all season in middle-school competition.

“They’re both very feisty — really gutsy,” said head coach Mandy Rosenfield.

Rosenfield said Reagan has a big serve and forehand, while Carissa has a strong backhand. Reese has been strong all season and incredibly consistent, while Isabella, a relative newcomer to interscholastic tennis, has shown great improvement over the course of the season.

The girls also swept their doubles matches at the GOAC Championship, with Reagan and Carissa teaming up for one team and Reese and Isabella coming together for the other.

“They’re all friendly, and they have good communication,” Rosenfield said.

What is even more impressive for this group of girls is that three of them — Reagan, Carissa and Reese — also are competing for the Lakers’ varsity team as the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 lines, respectively.

“They’ve done great, and they’ve been a real asset to the varsity team,” Rosenfield said.

The Windermere Prep varsity girls tennis team is coming off a 2017 season where it finished as state runner-up in Class 1A, and the Lakers will compete in the FHSAA Class 1A, District 6 Tournament this week in Lakeland.

Three members of the middle-school team — Reagan and Reese, who are twin sisters, and Isabella — are only sixth-graders, suggesting there will be several years of success to come from these up-and-coming tennis standouts.

“We’re thrilled to have them,” Rosenfield said. “It’s not just their play — they’re super nice girls and excellent team members.”