MARIELLE CAMPBELL

CARMEL—Carmel High’s Marielle Campbell just put the wraps on a stellar high school career last week, making her first trip to the state championship meet, where she went 4-1 and took first place in the consolation round.

The state meet triumph was the capper on what has been a brilliant six-year varsity career at Carmel.

Since ninth grade, when she started playing first singles, Campbell has gone 40-2 during regular-season play, losing only two matches to Ossining’s Jamie Loeb, who just won the Section 1 singles title.

In post-season league and conference play, Campbell has gone 12-1, and at this year’s sectionals she was 3-1, before going 4-1 at the state tournament in Manlius.

For her outstanding month of October, along with her outstanding season and career, Campbell was named the Putnam County Courier’s October Athlete of the Month.

Campbell—a six-time All-Section and All-League pick—is the type of player who comes along once in a coach’s career, and Rams coach Mike Coughlin knows it.

“She’s the type of player you might get every 10 to 15 years,” Coughlin said. “We have some great players, but none her caliber. Beside her drive, and passion to succeed, she’s tall and long, and gets to balls. She has a powerful backhand and forehand, and she’s very consistent. As a two-year captain, she’s a quiet leader, but she’s strong, and the girls respond well to her.”

Coughlin added that having a player of Campbell’s caliber helps the program.

“With a player like that, it increases awareness among the school, the community,” he said. “We’re trying to build tennis in Carmel, and having a player like her sparks interest and brings girls out.”

Carmel’s Marielle Campbell accepts Athlete of the Month award from Clancy Moving’s James Carey SKIP PEARLMAN Campbell started playing tennis at age five, after an aunt brought her to a tournament. “I just fell in love with the game,” she said. “I started playing tournaments, and I love the competition. I’ve made great friends playing tennis.”

She’s also a member of the National Honor Society, and is entertaining scholarship offers from Marist, Fairfield, and the University of Mary Washington.

Campbell has tried to make a point of enjoying her senior year.

“The season has been awesome,” she said. “I loved being captain, and we had a great group of girls. We had a lot of fun, and it was great to get so far. Last year I think I should have gotten farther, so it’s definitely great to get to states in my senior year.”

OTHER NOMINEES for the October Athlete of the Month included: Dave Sparozic of Mahopac soccer, Brewster swimmer Ali Polhill, Nicole Angelo of the Mahopac volleyball team and Brandon Devlin of the Carmel soccer team.

NOMINATIONS for Athlete of the Month can be e-mailed to Sports Editor Skip Pearlman at epearlman1@optonline.net.