1997 Port Huron Northern Girls' Tennis Team
Year Inducted: 2011
Twenty five years after Congress passed Title IX into law requiring equal opportunity for girls in high school and college sports, Port Huron Northern reaped the benefit of the law as their 1997 girls’ tennis team dominated the state. The 1997 Team set a goal to defend its Class A State Title and they fulfilled that goal by bringing home a second State Championship under Coaches Al Wright and Mary Kay Baribeau.
It was the team’s second of five state championships in seven years at the Class A, Division 1 level. They were the only team which was undefeated and untied as the state champion. They also were ranked 15th in the nation by USA Today in their final poll, the only area team ever to be ranked. The team won all seven flights at league and regional tournaments, and four of the seven flights at the state tournament, along with one finalist and two semi-finalists. Seven of their ten players made first team all-state.
Eight players made 1st Team, All-League and two players made 2nd Team. Six of the players made 1st Team Detroit All-Metro and four players made 2nd Team. While seven of the players made Division 1 – 1st Team, All-State as selected by the Michigan High School Athletic Coaches Association and one player made honorable mention.
Picture info:
Front Row L-R: Elena Blackman, Julie Britz, Christee Chargot, Dawn Thomas, Kristie Rowling
Middle Row L-R: Jessica Merritt, Julia Carolan, Laura Matzka, Sarah Jesse, Katie Reynolds, Melissa Shymko
Back Row L-R: Al Wright (Coach), Maelynn Bernosky, Joanna Olmstead, Stacy Schock, Allison DeGrow, Mary Kay Baribeau (Coach)
Missing from the photo: Sarah Coury
