Two dynasties roll on.
Episcopal Collegiate's boys and girls tennis teams extended their runs of state championships to 16 and 12, respectively, with victories Tuesday in the Class 3A state championships at Burns Park in North Little Rock.
The Wildcats were the boys champions with 14 points. Piggott scored 8, and Harding Academy was third with 4. Episcopal Collegiate's girls won with 15 points. LISA Academy of Little Rock was second with 7, while Cave City finished third with 3.
"We are known for being pretty good at tennis, but we still have to come out here and compete to win," said Episcopal Collegiate Coach Micah Marsh who leads both teams. "We're just blessed to have a lot of good kids who play tennis. That's the key, to have several kids who are competitive at it."
Episcopal Collegiate freshman Keeton Dassinger defeated Piggott freshman Shawn Hudson Seegraves, 6-2, 6-0, in the boys final. Episcopal Collegiate juniors Hannah Jackson and M.J. Janes met in the girls final, and Jackson's 6-3, 6-4 victory extended her streak of singles championships to two.
Episcopal Collegiate's Sidney Dassinger and Teddy Jones defeated Piggott's Cooper Harris and Michael Palmer, 6-0, 6-2, in the boys doubles final. LISA Academy's Brianna Phillips and Barbara Phillips defeated Episcopal Collegiate's Lowery West and Anne Marie DeLuca, 6-2, 6-2, in girls doubles.
Jackson's and Janes' match ended 3 1/2 hours before they were to play volleyball for the Wildcats against Hot Springs Lakeside in a match to decide the 3A-5 Conference regular-season championship. Both said they held nothing back.
"I forgot about the volleyball," Jackson said. "I just wanted to take care of one thing at a time."
"I told myself I needed to stay in the match," Janes said. "The volleyball is very important, but my head was totally in this match."
Jackson and Janes both said they are close friends, and there was nothing about their behavior toward each other before or after their match to contradict it. Before, they posed for selfies. Afterward, they expressed the sort of admiration and concern that earmark friendships. Even during breaks in their match, they commented about and laughed at juvenile behavior around them.
Nevertheless, the competitiveness of their strokes was fierce.
"Our friendship didn't matter once we started," Janes said.
"We're both very competitive," Jackson said.
Janes led 3-2 in the first set and 3-1 in the second but said she was confident Jackson would battle back.
"I knew she wouldn't give up," Janes said. "She never gives up."
Jackson said she recognizes the meaningfulness of her school's run of tennis success.
"The team competition is really important," Jackson said. "Most of the kids at school know we're the team that will win. If some of the other sports aren't as competitive at times, they know they can trust in us."
Sports on 10/16/2019