After a year off the court, Parkway Central's Wille goes out a winner
Parkway Central tennis player Hannah Wille made up for lost time this fall.
The lost time was the entire 2010 season. Wille was forced to sit out her junior season when the Missouri State High School Activities Association ruled she was ineligible after having transfered from MICDS, where she played as a freshman and sophomore.
"It was disappointing, especially since I had a couple of my best friends transfer and get to play," Wille said. "I didn't think I would miss it that much, but I did. When you play tournament tennis you basically play for yourself and personal gain. I really did enjoy high school tennis."
Wille had played No. 1 singles for MICDS in 2008 and 2009. The Rams finished third as a team in the Class 1 tournament in 2008 and won it in 2009. Wille, a major contributor to the '08 team, followed up with an outstanding effort in the individual portion of the state tournament in '09, finishing second in singles.
Wille left MICDS after the first semester of her sophomore year to attend the John Newcombe Tennis Academy in New Braunfels, Texas.
"I loved it there," Wille said. "It was great being around people who had the same interests as I did."
After a semester at the Newcombe academy, Wille returned to St. Louis for the start of her junior year. Plans to be on the Parkway Central tennis team, however, were short-circuited by the MSHSAA ruling.
Sitting out made Wille even more determined to make her senior season a special one. And she certainly did that.
She tore through her senior season undefeated. She was so sharp on her way to winning the Class 2 state singles title that she didn't lose a set in any of her 21 matches.
Wille's dominant play earned her a share of the Post-Dispatch All-Metro player of the year honors.
Class 1 state champ Sydney Lehman of John Burroughs is the other half of the tandem. Lehman and Wille were a matched set on the fall scene, both piecing together perfect seasons while winning state titles. Lehman, the 2010 player of the year, won the Class 1 singles title three years in a row.
"Being a state champion is special to me," Wille said. "I have something to show for the work I put into my game."
Wille was dominant at the state tournament, winning against Alex Massey of Kearney, Sophi Farid of state champion Rock Bridge, Ladue's Cam Newton, then Tess Herder of Lee's Summit. She smoked Herder 6-0, 6-1 in the championship.
"The thing about Hannah is that she just does not miss," Parkway Central coach Dave Fuhrig said. "Players who are as steady as Hannah are hard to come by.
"Hannah is extremely competitive and definitely a gamer. Once that match starts she is never going to give you anything for free. Everything is a grind. I haven't seen any other high school girl work so hard point in and point out."
Wille will continue her tennis pursuits at the University of Cincinnati. She picked the Bearcats over Colorado State, Stonybrook and Rutgers.
"They have a good program that plays in the Big East, so we will be playing against teams like Notre Dame and Connecticut," Wille said. "I liked the coach and players on the team, and I also like the fact that it is within driving distance of home."
