Meet the best girls’ tennis players in the region. Introducing the 2025 All-Observer team

Myers Park’s Teagan Reilly and Hough’s Devin Gilroy split their head-to-head matchups this season.

Then each went on to win state championships — Reilly teaming with Lila Cheatwood in 8A doubles, and Gilroy in 8A singles.

As a result, Reilly and Gilroy are The Charlotte Observer’s co-players of the year in girls’ tennis.

Reilly’s coach, Ed Flynn, is The Observer’s coach of the year.

Reilly, who won player of the year honors the last three seasons, beat Gilroy in straight sets in a Sept. 9 match. When they met again Oct. 1, Gilroy won in straight sets.

Gilroy finished with a 10-1 record in only her second season of tennis at Hough. She played as a freshman, then decided to leave the Huskies’ team early in her sophomore year. She said a year-round schedule of tennis had left her exhausted, and she needed to take a break.

She sat out her junior year, too, then returned to the Hough squad for her senior year.

Reilly finished 11-1 in singles, but she concentrated on doubles in the state individual tournament and swept to the 8A championship with Cheatwood.

Flynn guided Myers Park to an 18-0 dual meet record. The Mustangs trounced Hoggard 5-0 in the Class 8A dual meet championship match. He has coached Myers Park to more than 180 victories in the last 11 seasons, with three state championships and eight appearances in the state finals.

Here is the 2025 All-Observer Girls’ Tennis Team:

All-Observer first team

Singles

Devin Gilroy, Hough, Sr.: Gilroy, who’ll attend Emory University in Atlanta next season, compiled a 10-1 record and won the conference, regional and state 8A singles championships. She sat out her sophomore and junior seasons because she plays a year-round schedule.

Mallory Aull, Pine Lake Prep, So.: Aull captured the 3A singles state championship with a 13-0 record. This is her second year as a first-team selection. She also went 9-1 in doubles, teaming with Madison Utz.

Julia Andrea Castellanos Trujillo, Ballantyne Ridge, Fr.: She became the school’s first girls’ tennis state champion, taking the 8A title and finishing with an 18-1 record. She also led Ballantyne Ridge to the 7A dual meet semifinals.

Sydney Dean, East Lincoln, So.: She capped a 21-1 season by taking the 5A state singles championship, and helped lead the Mustangs to the 5A dual meet state crown.

Caroline Cerminara, Davidson Day, Fr.: Another of the young players who had big seasons, Cerminara went 9-1 in singles and became a three-time N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association all-state selection.

Sally Farnham, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.: Farnham was the No. 1 singles player on a team that captured the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s 4A championship. She got off to a rocky start but finished with 10 victories in her last 12 matches.

Doubles

Teagan Reilly (sr.) and Lila Cheatwood (fr.), Myers Park: Reilly and Cheatwood had a 9-0 record in doubles and won the 8A state championship.

Ella Davis (sr.) and Madison McWilliams (jr.), Charlotte Catholic: Davis was an all-Observer first-team singles pick last season. She and McWilliams won the 6A state crown with a 27-4 record. Davis was 23-5 in singles this year; McWilliams was 24-3.

Emilee Ibsen (sr.) and Avery Shaffer (sr.), Gaston Day: Ibsen and Shaffer powered Gaston Day to the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s 2A championship. They went 19-0. Ibsen is a six-time NCISAA all-state pick, and Shaffer has been selected five times.

Natasha Wallace (jr.) and Vivan Wu (sr.), Providence: Wu was a first-team all-Observer singles pick last season. They finished 12-5, with three of their losses to the 8A and 6A state championship teams.

All-Observer second team

Singles

Carla Perezerovas, Charlotte Catholic, Sr.

Kate McLaughlin, East Mecklenburg, So.

Shaili Vernuri, Providence Day, Sr.

Madison Darnell, Highland Tech, Sr.

Naomi Randall, Charlotte Latin, Sr.

Karsyn Sink, East Lincoln, Sr.

Doubles

Luci Falls (sr.) and Eleia Moon (sr,), Lake Norman Charter

Everi Pratiknjo (jr.) and Riona Ray (jr.), Marvin Ridge

Evie Kayes (sr.) and Mariana Cuebas (so.), Weddington

Zada Meachem (sr.) and Zola Meachem (sr.), Berry Academy

This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 5:30 AM.