TENNIS »

FRONT ROW (L-R) Maddie Larsh, Naomi Randall, Moné Cary, Camille Darwich, Payton Desai, Samantha DeWeese

BACK ROW (L-R) Head Coach Dale Hall, Lauren McRae, Eleanor Poole, Mayes Fisher, Macy Thigpen, Kate Hampton Haynie, Assistant Coach Kim Hanson

(L-R) Samantha DeWeese, Mayes Fisher, Eleanor Poole, Macy Thigpen, Camille Darwich

Congratulations! Congratulations!

CAMILLE DARWICH -CAPTAIN

Camille joined the team as a freshman and worked hard behind a talented group of older players. She immediately showed her talent in doubles and by junior year her hard work paid off, going undefeated that year in doubles with a 15-0 record! In last year’s state final, Camille won one of the two singles matches that clinched the title for the Hawks, coming back to win in an exciting 3rd set breaker. Camille also established herself as a leader off the court, excelling as a two-year captain and as a SALT representative for the team. Her dry sense of humor and spirit keeps things fun around her teammates. Samantha has been a 4-year starter for the Hawks, and will finish her time at Latin with close to 30 singles and 22 doubles wins. Samantha made her mark right away as a freshman by keeping us in the 2019 final, securing our only doubles point and starting our comeback surge with a win in singles. Since then, Samantha has come through with many clutch wins in both singles and doubles that contributed to our 2020 and 2021 State titles. She is a fierce competitor with a quiet determination that has made her a huge asset to our team.

SAMANTHA DEWEESE

MACY THIGPEN

Macy joined the varsity team her freshman year and has steadily improved as a player since then. Macy has worked hard to become more consistent off the ground, using her powerful serve to open up the court for the put-away ball. Macy has also really caught on to the nuances of doubles, dominating at net and pumping up her partner during matches. While consistently facing the challenge of having to compete for playing time with many talented teammates, Macy has handled herself with grace and a team-first attitude, contributing whenever she was in the lineup. Her cheerful and positive attitude also helped keep the team’s mood light during many a stressful situation.

MAYES FISHER

Mayes has been a starter on the tennis team for each of her 4 seasons. Her athleticism, powerful serve and ground strokes will result in her gaining over 30 wins each in singles and doubles by the end of her time on the courts at Latin. She has been an integral part of the team’s three State Championships. A three-sport athlete, Mayes knows how to compete and win, but always does so with a smile and excellent sportsmanship towards her opponents. Her upbeat attitude and personality make her a great teammate and friend to all. Eleanor joined the tennis team her freshman year, bringing with her a solid baseline game. She worked hard and learned much her first two years behind some very talented and experienced teammates. Eleanor steadily added shots to her arsenal and was always ready to jump into the lineup when needed. She has become one of our most consistent contributors both as a singles player and in a successful doubles partnership with Mayes Fisher. Also, a three-sport athlete, Eleanor competes hard and is determined to walk off the court with a win. She has also been an encouraging and supportive cocaptain this year as a senior.

ELEANOR POOLE-CAPTAIN

The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.

-Serena Williams

FRONT ROW (L-R) Jackie Rao, Divija Rao, Ananya Banerjee, Angelina Yan, Jolin Cheng, Zoe Panzo

BACK ROW (L-R) Neesa Phadke, Evy Linker, Molly Schnyder, Ansley Hoffman, Katherine DuBose, Hannah Blackhall, Head Coach Bill Drury

FRONT ROW (L-R) Nora Panzo, Ella Hennessy, Maggie Adams, Grace Porcher, Claudia Burke, Claire Siever

BACK ROW (L-R) Head Coach Colin Imwalle, Harris Hollmeyer, Ivy Brown, Cecelia Clifton, Reynolds Burns, Vivian Randall, Assistant Coach Isa Stokes

VARSITY TENNIS

After a challenging start, this year’s Varsity Girls’ Tennis team really pulled together and hit their stride mid-season, when the singles lineup solidified, and doubles partnerships started to gel. Heading into the NCISAA playoffs, we knew we were better than our 6th seed indicated, but needed to go on the road to prove it. After a home win over Rabun Gap, the Hawks traveled to Raleigh and played their best tennis against third-seeded Saint Mary’s School, and second-seeded Durham Academy, to earn a fourth consecutive spot in the finals. The championship match was against #1 seed Charlotte Country Day and was hosted at UNC Charlotte’s Halton-Wagner Tennis Center. The Hawks fought hard but trailed 2-1 going into singles, and could not make up enough ground to get the four wins needed to claim the state title. Calvin Davis, the Bucs’ head coach, said that Latin pushed them the hardest this season. It was a fantastic match all around, with everyone giving it their all. We would like to recognize the contributions of our five seniors: Mayes Fisher, Eleanor Poole, Samantha DeWeese, Camille Darwich, and Macy Thigpen. Since starting in our program in seventh grade, this group has been a huge part of a string of Latin tennis victories from 2017-2022 that includes two middle school conference championships, three consecutive NCISAA state championships, and this year’s runner-up prize. They will be missed! The 2022 Latin JV tennis season was a renewal year. With only four returning players, this year’s squad had much to learn. The season began with seven straight losses, yet their enthusiasm for tennis never waned. This was in large part due to the leadership of the team’s three juniors Neesa Phadke, Ansley Hoffman and Katherine Dubose, and sophomore Molly Schnyder (we shall not forget “Molly Time”). Their positive attitudes and inclusiveness buoyed the team through some difficult competitions and the team finished by winning five of the last six matches.

This winning streak was the result of significant improvement in the players. Katherine Dubose, Molly Schnyder, Ananya Banerjee, Angelina Yang, Jackie Rao and Jolin Cheng all made notable strides in their tennis development. Evy Linker and Divija Rao’s efforts and determination led to remarkable improvement in their tennis skills. Hannah Blackhall and Zoe Panzo played inspired doubles throughout the season while both won singles matches in the final tie. One of the intrinsic values of JV tennis is to foster skill development, and this year was a successful step in adding to the foundation of Latin’s strong girls’ tennis program.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS

Our team had an amazing season this fall! The players’ hard work resulted in a regular season record of 9-1 and in the postseason we made it to the championship match. All eleven players contributed to our success throughout the season. Establishing the foundation of our team’s culture was the main priority accomplished this season. Being mindful of our effort and attitude on and off the court was central to this culture. At the end of each practice and match we dedicated time to spotlight one another for specific examples of maximum effort and maintaining a positive attitude. Every player did a great job of creating an accepting and supportive environment which allowed for our team to grow very close. At times celebrating teammates’ accomplishments and also comforting teammates after defeats. Our team is excited for the opportunities that next season will bring!

SENIOR NIGHT: TENNIS