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EMORY, Va. – The Abingdon girls tennis team has advanced to the VHSL Class 3 tournament four straight years.
After three losses in the semifinal round, the Falcons are eager to take the next step with a balanced lineup.
“From the front of our lineup to the back, this is the strongest team that I’ve had,” AHS coach Jim Barker said. “Every player has a private coach and they all work on their games year-round.”
That depth was evident Friday morning as the Region 3D champion Falcons rolled to a 5-0 win over Region 3C runner-up Turner Ashby at Emory & Henry.
Turner Ashby entered the match a 17-3 record.
“I’m sure that our girls were a little nervous considering the stakes, but they played well and efficient,” Barker said.
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Efficient is a good way to describe the top seed for the Falcons.
Lauren Wimmer has powered to the Class 3 singles title match the past two seasons, earning the championship as a sophomore.
Wimmer also advanced to the Class 3 doubles semifinal last season with current sophomore Grayson Woodall.
The remainder of the AHS lineup includes sophomores Eliza Cozart and Wrenn Rainero along with juniors Katy Creasy and Eller Buddington. Creasy also plays volleyball.
AHS (18-3) has not lost to a Virginia school all season. The Falcons dominated every set Friday, as Wimmer set the tone with a 6-0, 6-1 decision.
“Our 4-5-6 seeds have gotten stronger with each match and that’s what you need to win at this point,” Barker said.
The next challenges comes Monday when the Falcons host Region 3C champion Spotswood at 11 a.m. The Blazers (19-1) downed Abingdon 5-3 last year at E&H, but graduated several key seniors.
For the third straight year, Monday’s match will mark the beginning of a long week for Wimmer. That grind will include the Class 3 singles and doubles competition at Virginia Tech.
Following a three-set loss to heavy-hitting athlete Christina Baxter from Tabb in the 2022 singles final, Wimmer honed her skills by competing in national finals of the Junior Team Tennis tournament at the United States Tennis Association national campus in Orlando, Florida.
“That was a really cool experience with a tight-knit group of people,” Wimmer said. “Our team represented the South, and we faced teams from New York and the Midwest.”
Wimmer was joined on the national squad by Woodall along with 2022 Class 3 singles runner-up Dillon McReynolds (Hampden-Sydney) and 2023 Region 3D singles semifinalist Nicholas McReynolds from Abingdon. Parker White (Marion) and several players from Tennessee High were also on the squad.
During the 2023 high school season, Wimmer has displayed increased power on her serve and more spin on her strokes.
“I’m pretty happy with where my tennis is at right now,” Wimmer said. “I’ve been honing in several lefty patterns and just staying focused on what have to do to get ready for next week.”
The 5-foot-5 Wimmer, who has signed to play tennis at Milligan next year, welcomes the state tournament stage.
“I think nerves are healthy, but I try to put that to the back of my mind once I step on the court,” Wimmer said. “I had never played Turner Ashby before today so I was completely blind going in. My opponent (Kate Jones) had a two-handed forehand. That was little different, but I was pretty happy with my match.”
Responding to the large contingent of AHS fans Monday, the 5-6 Woodall recorded a 6-0, 6-2 victory.
“It’s great to see the support from our fans,” Woodall said. “Playing at home really helps.”
Woodall is anxious to resume her quest for a state doubles title next week with Wimmer. The AHS combo dropped a three-set thriller to a pair from Maggie Walker in last year’s state semis.
Wimmer is left-handed, while Woodall hits from the right side.
“That helps because we can both play from the forehand side,” Woodall said. “I’ve known Lauren for many years and it’s nice to have the same partner. We’ve been training through the summer, fall and winter for this.”
Along with Barker, the corps of teaching pros for the AHS squad includes David Poole and Brad Pippin.
The Class 3 tournament continues Thursday at Virginia Tech with the team finals at 10:30, followed by the doubles semifinals.
Friday’s schedule features the doubles final at noon, with the singles final set for Saturday morning at 9.
The fifth-seeded Abingdon boys team lost 5-1 to No. 4 Cave Spring in the Region 3D quarterfinals, while the AHS doubles pairing of McReynolds and Luke Gibson fell in the semifinals to the top-seeded pair from Christiansburg.
