GIRLS' TENNIS: Chargers capture 4th straight dual-team state 1A title

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 30, 2016 1:45 AM

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jhayes@newsargus.com

BUIES CREEK -- A stroll in the park.

That's exactly what developed out of early-set struggles for the Wayne Country Day School varsity girls' tennis team, which rallied past jitters and unforced errors to vanquish Kerr-Vance Academy, 5-0, to win the 2016 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A state championship on Saturday afternoon at Campbell University.

It was the fourth consecutive victory of its kind for WCDS, but wasn't exactly a start-to-finish case of smooth sailing.

The Chargers, designated the home team by the association, were unusually tense as doubles play opened at the Nesbitt Tennis Center.

First serves sailed wildly off target.

Garden-variety forehand winners paced beyond the baseline.

On court two, senior Ally Willman routinely rapped her racket against her leg after a run of unforced errors with partner Langley Barnes.

In a word, matters were tense.

"I could tell they had a little bit of nerves," head coach Blake Vail said. "I thought we were playing not to lose, and we're too good for that."

But the Chargers wouldn't stay in said rut very long.

Jennifer Potts and Eliza Eagles of WCDS overcame a slew of early miscues to rally past the top-seeded KVA duo of Holly Steg and Savannah Barnes, posting an 8-6 triumph that seemed to reverberate through the remainder of the doubles session.

"We didn't have our rhythm," Potts said of the early effort. "And if we're mad, we don't play as well... so we calmed down and started putting balls in play."

The same could be said of Willman and Barnes, who stormed back from a litany of mistakes to file an 8-4 victory over Kayla Abbott and Edie Nichols.

Minutes later, a Charger doubles sweep was finalized when Hannah Fesler and Aimee Barnes spilled Caroline Williams and Lorena Negron, 8-6.

Wayne Country Day School 3, Kerr-Vance Academy 0.

For Vail, the return to form was a welcome sight.

"I told them after doubles that the nerves were gone," the coach said with a smile. "(I) just told them to go win it, because they weren't going to give it to us -- and everyone played really well."

Singles play -- and the Chargers' fourth straight title -- began with Potts, who established herself as the class of the championship with a letter-perfect 6-0, 6-1 victory over Steg.

In total, the seminar took just 51 minutes.

The remainder was left to Barnes, who raced to an insurmountable advantage before filing a state-title clinching 6-1, 6-3 victory over KVA's Edie Echols.

It was a crowing moment for the multi-sport athlete, and one that started much in the same way her doubles match did with Willman.

"It was really close, the first set," the sophomore said. "And I just focused on playing every point individually... and to have no unforced errors."

After an impromptu celebration on court four, which included a "dab" by Vail, the Chargers marched off to collect their hardware -- and the praise of WCDS athletics director Michael Taylor.

"It's a testament to the girls working hard in the offseason," Taylor said. "Clinics here, clinics there... It was a good weekend for Wayne Country Day -- special."

Indeed.

Potts, Willman and Eagles were designated all-state performers by event director Chris Meehl, who also lauded both teams for their show of exemplary sportsmanship.

As the proceedings drew to a close, this version of the champs began celebrating in a variety of ways, many of which gave a window into the team's diverse array of personalities.

Vail wandered from glad-hand to glad-hand with all the ease of a smiling surfer who just caught the perfect set. Willman stretched out with the championship trophy, smiling broadly before a multitude of smart phone flashes.

Then there was Potts, who took it all in with a detached cool, as if she and her mates had been here before.

But wait, they have -- four times running now.