Rowland Hall claims title

Led by sophomore Blake Harries, Rowland Hall easily seized the 1A/2A girls state tennis championship this year. Unlike many of the teams they defeated, the Winged Lions were a veteran team — and they used that experience and leadership to get to the finals in all five events.

Although she was the youngest player on the team, Harries has plenty of experience in clutch situations. She won the second singles title last year and repeated this year. She is now in the rare position to possibly four-peat if she continues to play as well as she has.

Besides tennis, Harries also plays basketball for Rowland Hall. She was the only freshman named to the all-region basketball team last year.

As a two-sport phenom, Harries spends most of her offseason time training. This repeat tennis title was particularly meaningful to Harries because she injured her knee in the offseason and was unable to practice all summer.

Like many of the players in the tournament, Harries had the advantage of having played her opponent twice before state rolled around. In the finals, she faced Waterford's Larissa Beck.

"It's good because I've seen her game, so I can develop a game plan," Harries said.

Although Harries won all three times she faced Beck this season, they battled to three sets each time. Harries won the definitive state match 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Harries will most likely take over Rowland Hall's soon-to-be-vacant first singles spot next year. Senior Stephanie Chard finished off a strong career with the Winged Lions by placing second in first singles this year.

Chard is famous for her come-from-behind rallies, and though she gave it a valiant effort, she wasn't able to recover from a second-set 6-1 setback to St. Joseph's Lauren Jones. Chard lost in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, closing out a stellar season.

In third singles, senior Mallory Rosenthal was able to repeat her finals appearance for the second year in a row, finishing second to Waterford's Kim Beck, 6-2, 6-2. Rosenthal was pleased with the team's overall performance.

"It was exciting and a really good way to go out," Rosenthal said after hearing that Rowland Hall had repeated as state champions.

The first doubles team of senior Sophie Ashton and junior Abby Bossart made it to the finals before losing to the Richfield tandem of Kaitlin DeMille and Katie Christensen, 6-3, 6-2. It was the only loss Ashton and Bossart ever suffered as a team. They looked at each other, shrugged, hugged and headed off to celebrate the team's overall victory.

"They are such great kids," Rowland Hall assistant coach Susan Daynes said. "They never leave a practice without saying thank you."