Sports

Westover girls tennis knocked out of state

• The Lady Patriots’ stellar season comes to an end in the GHSA Class AAA Sweet 16 on Tuesday, falling to Columbus.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — Before Tuesday’s Class AAA second-round playoff match with Columbus High even started at Darton College, the Westover girls couldn’t help but sneak a peek at their competition.

“We were watching them in practice,” Lady Patriots No. 2 singles player Abby Blankenship said. “We knew we were going to have a good match.”

The practice proved prophetic as Columbus overwhelmed Westover by winning three quick matches, meaning the final two were automatically forfeited for the 3-0 final.

The Lady Pats hadn’t lost since March 14, taking 13 in a row, but couldn’t compete with the polished ground strokes of the Lady Blue Devils.

Westover finishes its season 15-3.

“They are a great team,” Westover coach John Scanling said of Columbus. “I think we played as well as we could. Playing people that do that all year round is tough.”

Even Westover’s No. 1 doubles team of Rachael Etheridge and Lindsey Langstaff, who had won 23 consecutive matches, couldn’t keep pace, instead falling, 6-4, 6-4, to Erin Sexton and Alex Stewart.

Lady Pats’ No. 2 singles player Blankenship lost the first set, 7-5, to Mary Cripe, before coming back to a 5-4 lead in the second set, one point from pulling even.

But with her teammates losing all around her, the match was forfeited.

“I really wanted to get that point,” she said.

A major blow was dealt to Westover when No. 2 doubles team member Talisha Thomas twisted her ankle midway through the second set of her match.

The injury forced her and teammate Courtney Williams to retire the match and concede defeat.

The pain and emotion of the moment overwhelmed Thomas as she teared up upon the realization this was how her high school career would end.

“It really hit her,” Scanling said.

Luckily for Westover, only Thomas and Williams won’t return next season.

All three of coach Scanling’s singles players are juniors. They finished the year with a combined record of 43-7.

“It was a great year,” Blankenship said. “It is disappointing to lose, but that gets me even more pumped up for next year.”

And after Tuesday’s defeat, the Lady Patriots have a measuring stick to which they need to get to. Considering the talent level of the opponent which eliminated them, it didn’t dampen the team’s spirit.

“The girls have all stepped up and exceeded my expectations,” Scanling said. “You make it to the second round of the playoffs, that is pretty good.”

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