Freeman HS girls tennis team wins state title

The Douglas Freeman High School girls tennis team won the state championship June 10 in Newport News, defeating Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to overcome a variety of pandemic challenges during the season and claim a title.

In the finals, juniors Grace Johnson and Cindy Xie gave the team wins at line 3 and 1 singles respectively that secured the title for Freeman. Johnson faced an arduous 3 set match versus Cox and came out ready to win in the finals. She defeated Isabell Gan of TJ 6-3, 6-0.

Xie split sets with her Jefferson counterpart, and points were hard-fought and lengthy. Line 3 doubles had completed their first set at the same time Xie's match at line 1 singles had split sets. Xie secured the line and the state championship with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win.

Teammates swarmed Xie as she walked off the court.

"Their cheering helped push me through to get the win,” she said. “I couldn't have asked for a better team. It feels like a movie."

Coach Larry Parpart credited the tough competition within the region with helping his team ultimately succeed in regional and state tournaments. The team faced Deep Run, Tucker, Maggie Walker and Glen Allen – each of whom advanced to regional competition – during the regular season.

Freeman avenged earlier regular season losses to Deep Run and Tucker during the regional tournament and faced Glen Allen in the regional final. One of the team's weapons in the championship run was line three doubles, featuring freshmen Ellie Wood and Anne Douglas Council. Wood and Council, good friends who have played together since elementary school under the guidance of Pat Anderson (who also has coached many of the team's other eight freshmen) were undefeated in doubles this season. They clinched the regional final and state semi-final victories.

Another key component to the team's success was its camaraderie and leadership. The school did not provide transportation for the team or excuse absences for players attending regional or state competitions, but that didn't stop teammates from showing up to support the Lady Mavericks at Tucker, Deep Run, Cox (Virginia Beach) and Newport News.

Parpart and his assistants (former UVA standout Christy Garner and Courtney Greiner, a former junior player in Florida who once played Jennifer Capriati) modeled sportsmanship and emphasized teamwork.

Incorporating eight freshmen into an already sizable team proved to be a wise decision by Parpart. Throughout their run in the state tournament, freshmen Caroline Frank, Wood and Council were undefeated. They clinched lines 4, 5 and 6 singles in the semifinals versus Cox High School and in the final against Jefferson.

Against Cox High school in the state semi-final, junior Isabelle Hevron gave the Mavericks a gritty win at line 2 singles. Playing an aggressive net player – a style unusual in juniors tennis – Hevron struggled initially but settled into a pattern of strong passing shots to win 6-4, 6-3.

Line 3 doubles combo of Wood and Council secured the regional semi-final win.