After nearly clenching the Class AA state title in 2005, the girls’ varsity tennis team made it their goal to win in 2006. On May 13, this goal became reality.
Top-ranked Darlington swept past No. 4 Bleckley County 3-0 in the state semifinals before beating No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian 3-1 in the
championship match. The Lady Tigers capped their remarkable season with a 24-3 overall record.
“It was the greatest feeling … I couldn’t believe we actually did it,” said sophomore Katherine Knight. “We all worked our hardest and never stopped trying, and it paid off. We wanted it so much; we just couldn’t let it go.”
Mary Katherine Ashmore, the team’s lone senior, said the Lady Tigers’ win in the semifinals gave them the push they needed to win the championship. “That was a confidence boost, to beat Bleckley County like we did,” she said. “We were a little nervous (before playing GAC), but we calmed down and we were able to pull through.”
Head Coach Rachel Rice (’98) said teamwork has been her main focus this season, and that is what took them all the way. “Tennis is a tough sport to coach because you have so many individual players training year-round and working on their personal development,” she said. “Once the season started, I wanted to make sure that as long as they were on the team, the team came first.”
In addition to the state title, the Lady Tigers also won the Buckhead Rotary Tennis Tournament in Atlanta in March.
“During the regular season, the team beat four ranked teams in AA, two in AAA (including this year’s quarterfinalist, Cartersville, and this year’s AAA state champion, Westminster), and one AAAA team,” said Rice. “These nine Lady Tigers have represented this school and community with not only their ability, but also with a tremendous amount of integrity and class. As a coach, I could not be more proud of these fine young ladies.”
With this win under their belts, Rice and the returning team members are already thinking about next season.
“I am going to have to replace Mary Katherine, a task in and of itself, but other than that, I am really looking forward to watching us grow together as a new team,” said Rice. “There is so much young talent on this team, and I know they will get even better as the years progress.”
