County tennis ladder back for 14th year

Last fall, Delaney Tirotta finished the girls tennis season at 7-0.

The Saint John junior recorded a big win against a senior.

“No matter the circumstances you can still be good if you believe in yourself,” she said.

Tirotta, like many of her high school teammates and opponents, are using the Ashtabula County Tennis Ladder as a springboard into the fall season.

The ladder, started by Heralds tennis coach Todd Nassief, first began in 2012.

It has evolved into a fun and competitive atmosphere for those involved.

“This could be one or our best years,” Nassief said. “We have more sponsors, more prizes and more unique ideas.”

Nassief said one of those new events is the Battle of Bula.

“Thirty two players will play in a one-point tournament, it’s patterned after what the Australian Open did this year,” he said. “Every year, we try to make improvements, and try to make it fun for them.”

Nassief said another planned event is a seven-point tiebreaker tournament, and a couple of mixed-doubles nights.

The ladder is played at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday nights for doubles, and 8:45 a.m. Saturday morning singles until July 29.

After a week, more than 130 matches have already been played.

Jimmy LaPlaca is a novice to tennis.

“This is my first year,” the soon-to-be 13 year old at Saint John said. “I want to get better and stay in shape over the summer. It’s pretty fun.”

Nassief said the age range for participants is from 6 to 70.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing young kids playing and making friends,” he said. “For the high schools who play against each during the season, it’s a chance to renew friendships.”

Although the bulk of players are from the area, Nassief has noticed participants from Medina, Canton and Pennsylvania.

The college influence has been noted with players from Mount Union, Grove City, Ohio Northern and Baldwin Wallace.

Geneva graduates LJ Stark, Myles Colgan and Isaac Riddell are scheduled to join Saint John alum Jacob Timonere at Mount Union, which is coached by Lakeside grad Ryan McClure.

Timonere just finished his junior season with the Purple Raiders.

“Playing in the tennis ladder has helped my game a lot,” he said. “Competing against different players and playing at the college level has made me a stronger player.”

Timonere said he’s been playing in the ladder for nine years.

“One of the best parts has been meeting so many great people in the tennis community,” he said.

Meanwhile, Riddell previously studied at Ohio Northern.

“I’m excited to transfer to Mount Union to pursue civil engineering and play tennis with some of my former Geneva teammates who will also be going there,” Riddell said. “Head coach Ryan McClure has offered me a great opportunity, and I’m looking forward to taking advantage of it.”

Riddell said he’s using the ladder to play tennis with his friends in a fun, relaxed atmosphere while working on his game.

Saint John grad Colleen Anderson, a BW student-athlete, is anticipated to play matches.

Nassief said even past players who don’t play collegiately, such as Mickey Zheng and Noah Vencill, get in some matches.

Zheng, who played at both Saint John and Geneva, is a medical student at Ohio University, while Vencill, an Edgewood graduate, attends Wittenberg for school and to play volleyball.

For Tirotta, who is striving for a bigger role with the Heralds this season, the goal is to keep progressing.

“You play a lot of matches against people better than you,” she said. “I want to do at least something each day to improve.”