Seniors Stephanie Kortchak and Nicole Dubois were two of several Jamestown girls tennis players who could barely contain themselves in the hallway of the Virginia Tech tennis center Saturday afternoon as they anxiously waited for one of the Eagles’ two doubles tandems left on the court to clinch the school’s first Group AA state title in seven years.
“We were all just so excited because we knew we had it, but at the same time, we were so nervous because we had no control over what was happening,” Dubois said. “My heart was just pounding.”
Added Kortchak, “It was so nerve wracking! Our adrenaline was pumping because we were just waiting for it to happen. We didn’t know what to do.”
Soon enough, it happened. And when it did, the jittery Eagles knew just what to do.
After Kathy Sharp’s serve forced an errant return from Western Albermarle’s Claire Park that landed wide of the right sideline, Sharp and her doubles teammate, Elizabeth Wallace, hugged and shook hands with their opponents before being mobbed at the net by their teammates, who wasted little time cramming through the hallway door and pouring onto the court.
“Coach [Karen Johnson] kept telling us to calm down and wait until the match was over because anything could happen, but as soon as we won it was just so exciting. Like nothing any of us had ever experienced,” Dubois said.
After Jamestown took a 4-2 advantage in singles play thanks to victories from Anna Walter, Wallace, Sharp and Katie Hunt, Sharp and Wallace won easily at No. 3 doubles – 6-1, 6-0 over Western Albermarle’s Park and Fran Clifton – to secure a 5-3 win for the Eagles in the Group AA final and clinch the school’s first state championship since 2006.
“It took four years to get to this point, but better late than never,” said Sharp, whose victory at No. 4 singles Friday secured Jamestown a spot in the state final for the first time since 2008. “It feels great to win it our senior year; there’s no better year to do it.”
Added Wallace, who along with Sharp was a perfect 6-0 combined in singles and doubles during the Eagles’ state tournament run, “There are so many seniors on this team that have been playing together for so long…I don’t even know what to say. It’s just awesome.”
Wallace, Sharp, Kortchak and Dubois weren’t the only seniors who savored Saturday’s victory.
“At the beginning of the season I was confident in our team, but I wasn’t sure we’d make it this far,” senior Sarah Reso said. “I’m just so proud that we made it through as a team. Everyone has put in an equal amount of work, and it’s just so gratifying to see our hard work pay off.”
Said senior Kristen Lilley, “I’ve been on this team for four years, and to finally make it to the state final and win is the best feeling ever, especially with this group of girls. It’s nice to have so many to celebrate with.”
For a team with seven seniors and a pair of sisters, Leah and Anna Walter , who were the Eagles’ catalysts all season long at the top two singles spots – and competed together as a doubles team, finishing as the runner-up in the state doubles tournament – Jamestown coach Karen Johnson said “perfect storm,” was an ideal way to describe this year’s team.
“This is virtually the same group of girls who were here last year other than one or two,” Johnson said. “But just watching them out there, you could tell they were hungrier than anyone else. They’re a very close, tight-knit group and showed it this weekend.”
While the seniors had most to celebrate Saturday, it was also a special day for Hunt, a sophomore, who is the last of four siblings to play in Jamestown’s tennis program.
Hunt’s older brothers, Zach (’06) and Josh (’10), and older sister, Abby (’12), all helped the Eagles reach a state tournament during their high-school careers. However, when it comes to winning a singles match in the state final and hoisting a championship trophy on their mother’s birthday, Katie stands alone.
Katie Hunt delivered a 6-0, 6-4 victory at No. 6 singles over W. Albermarle’s Stephanie Barton to help Jamestown clinch its seventh state championship in school history.
“It was a special treat,” said Heather Hunt, Abby’s mother, who has celebrated each of her past seven birthdays in Blacksburg. “There’s no better way to spend my birthday than to watch my four kids play tennis at the state level.”
Walter Sisters Drop Doubles Final to Handley Duo
The emotional high and physical strain of helping Jamestown’s girls tennis team win a Group AA state championship merely a half-hour before took its toll on the Eagles’ Leah and Anna Walter.
The sisters fell 6-2, 6-2 in the state doubles final to the defending champs, John Handley’s Jessie Nolan and Kathryn Bock, in a match that began shortly after the two exited the courts leading W. Albermarle’s Emily Kochar and Maddy Ix (7-6 [7-5], 6-5) in the team championship.
While Anna battled through feet soreness throughout the duration of the match, both players admitted to having little left in the tank, but gave all the credit to their opponents.
“It was difficult to turn around and play doubles after celebrating with the team,” Anna said. “We were so worn out, but [Nolan and Bock] were a good match and on top of their game.”
Said Leah, “Mentally it was really difficult, and we kind of got off to a slow start because we were still so excited about the team winning states. But we gave it our all because we knew it was our last match together. We left it all out on the court, [Handley’s girls] just played a tougher match than we did.”
Despite the loss, Leah, a senior who will graduate later this month and attend the University of Virginia in the fall with hopes of joining the Cavaliers’ club tennis team, said winning a team title and playing alongside her sister in her final high school match was a great way to end her high school career.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Leah said. “After being here four years, there’s no better way to cap off a season, or my career. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to go out with.”
