New Coach, Same Great Team: Girls Tennis Season Wrap-Up

The Girls Tennis team put in a lot of hard work and effort into this season, and it shows in all their success. This year, the girls ended with a great overall record of 9-5. The season began with a win against SE Whitfield then two unfortunate losses to Central Carrollton and Cedartown. Despite the loss to Cedartown, the match was still a highlight for Rhegan Simmons. ”Personally, when me and Kortney were doubles partners,” she said, “our best match was [against] Cedartown. We were the only ones who won on the whole team, and I felt like the team played as hard as they could despite that.” The Generals bounced back from these losses with a four-game winning streak against Gordon Lee, Pickens, Ridgeland, and Northwest Whitfield. “I loved the Northwest match because we beat them 5-0, and it felt really good to not lose a single set,” said junior Lauren Mock. 

The regular season ended with a loss to Christian Heritage, but the Generals didn’t let that stop them. Moving forward to the Region tournament, the girls went up—and won—against SE Whitfield and Pickens, with another loss to Cedartown in the middle. Overall, the Generals placed third, qualifying for State. In the first round of State, the Generals defeated Hampton, 4-1, to go on to the Sweet 16. They then defeated Islands High School, 4-1, making it to the Elite 8. The season ended there with a tough match against Marist. Looking back over the season, there were a few players who stood out to their teammates by showing talent, hard work, and leadership. These players included Kortney McKenzie, Mia Callahan, Elli Jost, and Rhegan Simmons. “Kortney has played so hard all season, and I have seen a lot of improvement from her throughout the season,” said senior Rhegan Simmons. Senior Elli Jost highlighted Mia Callahan: “Mia was always doing her best at practice,” she said, and “she was always leading the pack whenever we were running. She was really an inspiration to us all.” There were also a few players who stood out to Coach Mathis for their skill, and leadership skills. These players were Elli Jost, Rhegan Simmons, Kortney McKenzie, and Brooke Matherly. “They all stepped up at different times during the season when the team needed them most,” said Coach Mathis. “I am very proud of the girls and all they accomplished this season. The girls had a lot to overcome, and I feel like I saw them all play their best and have a great time as a team together.”