Calhoun girls come up short of state title vs. Westminster.
JONESBORO — The storybook season for the Calhoun Lady Jackets didn’t have the happy ending the players, coaches and fans ultimately hoped for, but they still walked out of the Clayton County International Park Tennis Center with their heads held high on Saturday.
The Lady Jackets played in their first-ever state championship match, taking on Westminster in the Class AAA Finals, and fell to a tough Lady Wildcats team 3-2 in a hard-fought contest to finish as state runners-up.
Calhoun coach Robin Proffitt said she and the other coaches were proud of the girls’ desire to win and overall effort even though the result didn’t come out the way they wanted.
“It was definitely a tough loss,” said Proffitt. “We knew this team had the potential to win and couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls. They were excited and ready to play.
“Making it to the championship is an amazing accomplishment. It was one of our final goals for the season, but they did exactly what we asked and that was to give it their best and leave it all out on the court. We’re very proud of this group and sad to see the season come to an end. This was definitely a special team.”
Calhoun (20-2) started the match off with momentum thanks to their No. 1 and No. 2 singles players. Like they have all season No. 1 McCartney Kessler and No. 2 Carly Briggs took care of business in their spots, as Briggs won 6-0, 6-0 first and Kessler followed shortly thereafter with a 6-1, 6-1 win. The victories put the Lady Jackets up 2-0 in the match.
Westminster, however, rallied to make it 2-1 with a victory at No. 2 doubles from Claire Corbin and Cyan D’Anjou. Calhoun’s No. 2 team of Sammy Bramlett and Molly Mashburn fell 6-2, 6-1, but competed throughout the match despite the score.
The match was evened up at 2-2 with Westminster winning at No. 1 doubles as the Lady Jackets’ pair of Marlee Nichelson and Jalen Holland fought but came up just short. In a back-and-forth, momentum-shifting match that could have tilted the final results either way, Nichelson and Holland lost 6-4, 6-4 to Westminster’s team of Caitlyn Margol and Maya Sinha.
That put the match on the shoulders of the No. 3 singles players, Calhoun’s Emma King and Westminster’s Abby Seitz. Seitz, a senior, battled to a 6-4 win in the first set and carried that momentum in the second to earn a 6-1 advantage and clinch the state title for the Lady Wildcats. King, a freshman, battled to the end, however, and showed poise beyond her years.
The loss wrapped up an impressive, history-making season for Calhoun, who won their 11th straight region title a little less than a month ago then went on to advance to only their second-ever Final Four and first-ever state championship appearance.
“Winning Region is our first goal every year,” said Proffitt. “To win an 11th in row is very special. There are no guarantees, and this was definitely a special team and season. I think the girls knew how special this team was and that they had a shot at winning. This team really bonded and that made this season even more special. They wanted to win for each other and it was a joy to see that team spirit come together.”
Nichelson and Bramlett are the lone seniors that the Lady Jackets will lose for next season, and Proffitt said they have both been great leaders and big part of the team’s success.
“Marlee and Sammy have been great leaders this year,” said Proffitt. “They stepped into the leadership role and help lead this team to the state finals, encouraging all of their teammates. We cannot say how much these two mean to Calhoun High tennis.”
Proffitt added that the accomplishments of this year’s team will leave a legacy for future teams in the program to live up to.
“This team has definitely raised the bar for expectations,” said Proffitt. “Hopefully this season will inspire our future players of all ages to strive to be a part of our program in hopes of winning a state title.”