2024 NewsTribune Girls Tennis Players of the Year: La Salle-Peru’s Elena Leone and Cali Mickley

Early in the season, La Salle-Peru tennis coach Aaron Guenther mixed and matched his lineup looking for the right combination that would “put the girls and the team in a position to be as successful as possible.”

In the middle of September, Guenther put seniors Elena Leone and Cali Mickley together at No. 1 doubles.

“I was really looking forward to it because [she] and I are friends outside of tennis, so I was excited to try something new,” Leone said.

Mickley was Leone’s third partner of the season.

“That was kind of different, but I think we learned to match each other’s playing styles really well,” Leone said.

The adjustment period “did not take long at all considering we’ve been teammates for the past two years and we’ve always been pretty close,” Mickley said, and they turned out to be a very successful duo.

Leone and Mickley went 12-11, placed third in the Interstate 8 Conference Tournament at No. 1 doubles and finished third at the Class 1A Ottawa Sectional to qualify for state, where they went 2-2 to finish as a top-32 doubles team in the state.

Mickley also placed second at No. 1 doubles in the Pekin Invite with Grace Pecchio and was 5-5 in singles, mostly at No. 1, while Leone finished second in the Pekin Invite at No. 2 doubles with Izzy Pecchio and was 6-4 in singles, primarily at No. 2.

Leone and Mickley helped the Cavs win the conference title and their first sectional championship since 2016.

For all their accomplishments this season, Leone and Mickley are the 2024 NewsTribune Girls Tennis Players of the Year. Leone also won the award last season with former teammate Kaylie Reese.

“I think Elena and Cali did really well, especially considering they didn’t start out the year as partners,” Guenther said. “So they had to adjust to one another on the fly. I think there were some growing pains at the start of their pairing together, but as the season went on, they just got stronger and stronger.”

Leone said she realized she and Mickley would be a good team in a win over Ottawa’s Yaquelin Hernandez-Solis and Brooklyn Byone in their third match together.

“We won the first set, and then in the second set they started making a comeback,” Leone said. “It was 5-5, so it was really close. I think our energy during the match helped us win the set, and we ended up winning the match. From there, I knew we matched each other and we both have the same type of energy.”

Leone and Mickley balanced each other well in terms of emotions and skills on the court.

“I get pretty fired up, and she calms me down sometimes,” Mickley said. “She just tells me to take a deep breath if I were to get too upset or real intense. I feel like I also gave her some fire to get intense.

“It’s a good balance.”

On the court, Leone is a smart, consistent player, while Mickley is a more aggressive, hard-hitting player.

“I think emotionally they were a perfect match,” Guenther said. “Elena is very positive and uplifting but needs a more hammer-like player on the other side. Elena is very smart with where she goes with the ball but doesn’t necessarily hit the ball hard. On the other side, Cali does hit the ball hard but sometimes needs help reining in her emotions because she does get so excited and she does get so intense that Elena is able to be there to kind of ground her.

“So they worked really well together as a pair to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Leone and Mickley showed their strength at state where Leone said they “played our best tennis.”

In the first round, the Leone and Mickley lost 6-2, 6-1 to Benet’s Natalie Grover and Katie Jendra, who went on to place fourth, before before bouncing back to win their next two matches in three sets.

“I think we performed very well considering our first match we played a team that got fourth in state,” Mickley said. “I thought we hung with them very well. That momentum helped us through the rest of the day to win two matches.

“It was definitely very stressful, but it was also very fun and just a great experience.”

Leone and Mickley each put in work in the offseason to make their state run possible.

Leone took lessons at Evergreen in Bloomington.

“I learned to be a more consistent player and hit the ball with better form,” Leone said.

Mickley went to lessons at Quad City Tennis Club and also competed in United States Tennis Association tournaments.

“After my sophomore season, I realized how successful I could be and I wanted to continue to get better and play at the next level,” Mickley said. “I put in a lot of hard work going to USTA tournaments and going to lessons.

“My game improved a lot, and I improved mentally as well.”

Mickley will continue playing tennis at Trine University, an NCAA Division III school in Agnola, Indiana.

“It means a lot to me that I get the opportunity to play at the next level,” Mickley said. “I could not have done it without God as well as all the time and hard work I have put into my training.”

Leone plans to attend a larger university and won’t be playing tennis.

“I’m really happy with [my high school career],” Leone said. “I feel like I ended on a great note. I wouldn’t want to go out any other way.”