Lowcountry high schools flexed some muscle in girls tennis on Saturday with three area programs capturing state championships in the South Carolina High School League finals.
Academic Magnet won the Class AA/A championship with a 6-0 win over Landrum, Oceanside Collegiate edged Christ Church 4-2 to win the AAA title, and Wando defeated Spartanburg 4-3 to repeat as the Class AAAAA Division I state champion.
Academic Magnet’s difficult regular season schedule more than prepared the Raptors for their state finals match. The Raptors finished with an 18-6 record, taking on Wando, Oceanside Collegiate, Christ Church and Hilton Head during the regular season.
“We played a schedule that would challenge our players and prepare them for tough matches,” said first-year coach Mark Borst. “This group, to be as young as we are, was very mature and focused all season. We played very well today.”
Academic Magnet’s top seven players included only one senior — No. 2 singles Sophia Easterbrook. Posting wins in the finals were Maggie Schwartz, a sophomore at No. 1 singles, Kamya Pham, a sophomore at No. 3, freshman Archer Fanning at No. 4 and junior Emma Miars at No 5.
Also winning was the No. 2 doubles team of Eliza Dargan and Finley Franckel.
Oceanside Collegiate’s championship was their fifth in a row, but this year’s team was the youngest group that coach Shawn Harris has had during the run.
“Really proud of this team and how they formed a bond and became a true team,” Harris said. “Five in a row is amazing. I would say the first one (2021) and this one were the most satisfying because of our youth. They came out today and played at a high level.”
OCA won four of the five singles, losing at No. 2 doubles and No. 2 singles. Freshman Maeve DeFord was a winner at No. 1 singles, and freshman Sephina Tringali played No. 3 singles. Junior Adi Levy was a winner at No. 4 singles, and sophomore Sophia Sebold won at No. 5. Annsen Saulisbury played at No. 2 singles, and Elloree Besta played two doubles with Kacy Kesner.
Wando’s win in the Division I finals of AAAAA came down to No. 1 doubles. Clinching the championship was the tandem of senior co-captains Cali Casazza and Mia El-Kheddiwi, who ironically clinched the 2024 championship with a win in doubles.
“If it’s going to come down to the end, having two seniors who have been there before is the way to go,” Wando coach Bob Lang said. “So proud of this team. We had some injuries during the season, but I knew if we were healthy, we could win. Today was a battle. It really could have gone either way.”
Wando won just two of the five singles matches and needed wins in both doubles to secure the four points. Casazza won at No. 2 singles, and Cyanna Enright won at No. 3. Ellie Frank and Tucker Adams won at No. 2 doubles.