LCA Girls Tennis Team Wins First-Ever 11th Region Tennis Team Title

Article courtesy of Caroline Makauskas at the Lexington Herald-Leader

Lexington Christian Academy girls tennis had a tall task in Tuesday’s finals — find a way to edge Henry Clay, a prolific presence in the 11th Region. And it was the team format that pushed the Eagles through. 

The new KHSAA team competition format, somewhat similar to that at the collegiate level, is best-of-five, made up of three singles and two doubles matches.

In last week’s 11th Region individuals tournament, the Eagles didn’t have the finish they wanted. Despite two all-region team selections in eighth grader Katie Lankford and senior Lily Harper, and a roster packed with young talent, only Lankford earned a state berth as an individual qualifier with her runner-up finish in the girls’ singles finals against Henry Clay’s Anna Du. 

On Monday, LCA fended off a good Sayre team with a hard-fought 3-2 result to face the Blue Devils for the team championship. In Tuesday’s finals, the Eagles would once again have to play all five matches to decide their fate. LCA head coach Kyle Macy said he was most proud of the whole team effort, especially since “it was kind of stacked against us going in.”

“That’s what the team championship’s all about,” Macy said. “Everybody playing their role and doing their job, so I’m proud of all of them.” 

Lankford earned the first point for the Eagles, taking the first set 6-3 in a rematch against Du before Du was forced to retire from the match due to injury. 

“I’m proud because our team is so supportive,” Lankford said. “I played (Du) in regionals and I lost 6-0, 6-0. But my team was super encouraging, and they pushed me through.”

Henry Clay then swept the doubles matches, with senior Eva Pace Cassidy and sophomore Charlotte Young beating LCA freshman Makendia Smith and junior Katie Roth 6-0, 6-0 and sophomore Anna Pickrell and junior Kaitlin Gish defeating LCA seventh graders Kennedy Robinson and Madeline Levey 6-2, 6-0. 

Harper, who won a key singles victory for the Eagles with her 6-0, 6-3 defeat of Henry Clay’s Wini Lile, noted the importance of fighting through adversity en route to the championship. 

“Some of those games were very strenuous and very long,” Harper said. “And it took a lot of consistency and perseverance to push through and find the strength, especially in this heat. It’s very hot outside.”

Hot, indeed. The sun beat down on the Sayre Athletic Complex, its athletes and attendees in their litany of lawn chairs as temperatures reached the mid-80s. Sports drinks and water breaks abounded, each point was certainly earned. 

Freshman Lauren Spraggins, who defeated Henry Clay’s Emery Cassidy 6-3, 6-0, echoed Harper’s sentiment about never giving up, “no matter what happened,” and said the team format makes a real difference when the going gets tough. 

“I feel like it makes the team closer as a whole,” Spraggins said. “Knowing that we’re competing together and not just by ourselves, but we have our teammates with us.”

LCA will also be represented at the KHSAA State Tennis Tournament by Will Howell, who won the 11th Region Boys Singles Championship. Kate Lankford also qualified for the state tournament. LCA also had four players to make the All-Region Team: Lily Harper, Will Howell, Katie Lankford, and Kevin Rhyne.