GIRLS SINGLES PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CASSIE CERVANTES
SCHOOL: Bentonville West
CLASS: Junior
NOTABLE: Won the Class 6A state singles championship in a 6-2, 6-4 decision over Stella de Vera of Rogers Heritage. ... Cervantes' win helped Bentonville West claim the 6A state team championship. ... Cervantes swept Jenna Payne of Jonesboro 6-4, 6-2 to win the state Overall championship. ... In addition to being named the All-NWADG Girls Singles Player of the Year, Cervantes was also named the All-Arkansas Preps Girls Tennis Player of the Year. ... Was named to the girls' singles all-state team. ... Cervantes, whose father is a tennis professional, started playing the sport at the age of 3.
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID: "Honestly this is so awesome. I worked so hard for this and I'm really, really glad my hard work paid off because it's been such a huge goal for me, to be able to win all my matches. It's just crazy. I think for next year I want to just continue to play my game, to keep my mental focus and always stay positive. I have goals for myself, just play and not put too much pressure on myself."
GIRLS DOUBLES TEAM OF THE YEAR
JENNA KATE BOHNERT and GRACE LUEDERS
SCHOOL: Rogers
CLASS: Both are seniors
NOTABLE: Bohnert and Lueders are one of the most dominant girls’ doubles teams in the history of Arkansas prep tennis. … They won three straight Class 6A state doubles and three straight Overall state championships. … The duo rolled over Little Rock Central’s doubles team 6-2, 6-3 to claim the 6A state doubles title in October for the third straight year, then the pair toppled Khushi Patil and Caroline Lasley of Little Rock Central in the Overall championship 6-1, 6-1 to make it a clean three-year sweep. … Lueders is also a track star for the Lady Mounties and will compete at Samford University in the fall. … Bohnert has not made a college choice yet. … Both players are three-time all-state selections.
THAT’S WHAT THEY SAID: “I remember after my freshman season, Coach Fulton texted me and said ‘hey, we’re getting a girl named Grace Lueders on the team next year and I was wondering if you’d like to play doubles with her.’ And I was like ‘I know Grace!’ We’ve known each other since the sixth grade.’ So I messaged her and asked if she’d like to play and she said of course,” said Bohnert, who aspires to play tennis collegiately. “It took some time for us to mesh, but our personalities are somewhat similar. And we were kind of drawn to each other off the court and that really helped on the court.”
“We spend as much time off the court as we do on the court,” said Lueders. “Being able to play with a partner who knows everything I’m going to do, where I’m going to go, what ball I’m going to go for is just amazing.”