MADISON — A week after West Stokes’ tennis team won back-to-back Mid-State 2A Conference Championships, junior Kathryn Davis won the league’s single individual title with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Reidsville’s Briseyda Padron. Davis teamed with Alyssa Sparks to win the doubles title in 2022 and 2023.
Davis won 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals against Morehead’s Kimberly Morris, and advanced to the championship game with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Reidsville’s Joy Dodge in the semifinals.
The Wildcats’ Sadie Hartle placed fourth after winning 6-1, 6-0 against McMichael’s Tyler Leggett in the first round, but lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the semifinals against Padron. Hartle fell against Dodge in the third place game 8-6, 6-1.
Sparks, the co-conference player of the year with Reidsville’s Kimberly Oritz, was going for her third consecutive doubles championship, but with a new partner this year, junior Brenna Bowman. The duo earned an 11-1 record during the regular season before falling in three sets to the team of Oritz and Cynthia Jaramillo of Reidsville.
Sparks and Bowman easily won set one 6-2 but lost a tiebreaker in the second set after it was tied 6-6. The third set went to the Reidsville duo in convincing fashion with a 6-1 win.
Sparks/Bowman was seeded No. 2 coming into the tournament and beat Araya Patel and Samantha Bates from Reidsville 6-0, 6-0 in the first round and advanced to the semifinals.
The semifinal match against Lizeth Espinoza and Claudia Raiford of Morehead lasted more than two plus hours with the match going all three sets.
Espinoza/Raiford fought from a 5-4 deficit in set one and won 7-5 with aggressive net play. Sparks and Bowman fell behind in set two and trailed 5-2 with the Morehead duo serving for the match. The Wildcats’ duo broke serve which led to them winning the next five match points to win 7-5 forcing a third set.
In the deciding set, Sparks and Bowman easily disposed of the Morehead team 6-1 advancing to the championship match.
Also competing in the doubles championship were Eden Goforth and Isabella Carter as the No. 4 seed. Goforth/Carter were eliminated in the first round with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 loss against Morehead’s Sophea McGuire and Diana Mora Martinez.
“I am so happy for Alyssa being named co-player of the year alongside a player from Reidsville,” said Wildcat coach Jessica Pegram. “She always adds a whole new level of fun to every situation. She is all around a great athlete and person.”
Pegram was named the conference coach of the year for a second consecutive time.
“I am at a loss for words,” said the coach. “I try to give my all to support the girls on our team and foster in them the love for the game that has meant so much to me. I love what I do and can't wait to keep moving forward and growing the program however I can.
“We would like to thank and acknowledge all the support we have received from other coaches, teams, the students, faculty, and administration at West Stokes High School with a special shoutout to our amazing AD Jason Sammons. We couldn't do what we do without you.”
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