P-T Girls Tennis Player of the Year: Chesterton’s Bobbi Modesto
By Michael Osipoff 648-3137 or mosipoff@post-trib.com June 21, 2012 11:26PM
Chesterton senior Bobbi Modesto is the 2012 Post-Tribune Girls Tennis Player of the Year. She completed the best season of her excellent career by going 18-2, | Andy Lavalley~Sun-Times Media
Bobbi Modesto doesn’t believe she did anything dramatically different this season.
But it would be difficult to dispute that it was the best one of her sterling career.
For the first time in her three seasons as Chesterton’s No. 1 player, the senior defeated both Highland’s Vanessa Madrigal and Kankakee Valley’s Abbey Hamstra in the same season, both in straight sets. Modesto’s only losses came to eventual state champion Alexandra Brinker of Penn and Munster’s Jessica Rooth, both in three sets. She finished with an 18-2 record atop the Trojans lineup, leading them to an undefeated Duneland Conference championship and a sectional title, before they lost to the Kingsmen in a regional final.
“It didn’t necessarily end how I hoped, but I’m still pretty happy with it,” said Modesto, the 2012 Post-Tribune Girls Tennis Player of the Year. “It was a really good four years.
“I feel like I remained pretty steady through my four years of high school, mentally and ability-wise. There were some ups and downs. But overall, I remained pretty consistent with my mental play and actual play. Maybe mentally I improved. But with my play, I was pretty steady.”
Modesto topped Madrigal 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) on April 12, and Hamstra 6-0, 7-6 (8-6) on April 16. She ended her career 2-1 against both players.
“I think I started off my season playing a little better,” said Modesto, who as a freshman helped Munster to a third-place finish in the state — the Mustangs lost to eventual champion Carmel in the semifinals, in what was viewed as the de facto title match — playing mostly No. 2 singles behind state champion Mary Hill, after having seen time at No. 1 doubles and No. 3 singles. “I gained confidence right at the beginning. One of the differences in my game is that I really started off my season well. I really had confidence going into everything, and it showed.”
Rooth edged Modesto 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on May 9, as Munster held off Chesterton 3-2.
In the team regional final against Penn, Modesto took the first set 7-5, before Brinker rallied to win the last two sets, 6-3, 6-0. Brinker lost only one match all season, a three-setter to Fort Wayne Canterbury freshman Leah Barnes, who she then beat in straight sets for the state title.
“I know this might sound a little funny, but when you lose to someone who actually is successful, it’s not as bad,” Modesto said. “If the person you lost to got knocked out right away, you would feel like you had a chance. I still feel like I had a chance. I never doubt my confidence. But you always want the person you lose to to succeed, because it kind of compensates for your loss more.”
Modesto will continue to play at IUPUI.
“I’m looking forward to the next chapter, but I’m going to miss high school,” she said.
