Catoosa County Girls’ Co-Players of the Year
The Heritage Lady Generals have had several outstanding seasons in their program’s brief history, but no team went as far in the state tennis playoffs as the 2021 version of the Navyand-Red.
For the first time in school history, Heritage advanced all the way to the Class AAAA Final Four. After an opening-round forfeit in the postseason, the Region 7-AAAA runners-up blanked Jefferson, 3-0, in the second round before hitting the long road to Savannah to battle against Region 3 champion Islands.
There, Heritage set down the Sharks by another 3-0 count, and although their season would come to a close a few days later with a loss at powerhouse North Oconee, the Lady Generals’ 2021 squad set a new standard for all future Heritage tennis teams to try and reach.
It was an outstanding season by the whole team and at its heart and soul were a lone pair of seniors who will be remember as true leaders, Bailey Christol and Morgan Phillips, the 2021 Catoosa County Girls’ Tennis Co-Players of the Year.
“It feels really good (to
get the award),” Christol said. “I really wasn’t expecting it, so it was fun to get that call.”
The honor capped a memorable final year for the duo, who also helped lead the Heritage softball team to a third consecutive state title back in the fall of 2020.
“It definitely means a lot,” Phillips added. “Bailey and I both came into (tennis) our freshman year not really expecting to be in the role that we ended up being on that team. Just following through our sophomore,
junior and senior years, we just had really good years, even though this year was the best.
“Looking back, I think tennis has always just been an outlet for us to work just as hard as we do in other sports, so it’s a good accomplishment for both of us.”
Playing doubles together as freshmen and sophomores, they were part of Heritage teams that won back-to-back Region 7-AAAA championships and advanced to the second round of the state tournament. Their junior campaign was cut short by COVID-19, but they came back as seniors in new spots with new responsibilities.
As the team’s only seniors, they both played No. 1 and No. 2 singles during the year and took to their new roles well. Christol finished with a 10-3 mark, while Phillips ended the season 9-2. Heritage would finish second in the 7-AAAA tournament, but responded at state as the highest-finishing team from the region.
“At first, I started playing No. 1 singles and then we kind of switched it up in the middle,” Christol explained. “I had an okay season. I kind of lost a couple, but we obviously finished up with the best season ever, so it was pretty good.”
Christol said her final season would be memorable because it gave her some family bragging rights.
“(Going to the Final Four) was a really big deal, especially because my (older) sister played (at Heritage) and we were able to get further than she did,” she said. “She originally had the record with her team going the farthest (at state), so it was really fun coming in after her and getting that record.”
Phillips also said that it was an “awesome feeling” getting through to the state semifinals.
“I was really just blessed to be a part of a team that made history,” she added. “It’s kind of an overwhelming feeling because you don’t think when you come in as a freshman that you’re going to be the one to maybe make history. But to be someone that was part of a team that did, it’s an amazing feeling.”
She went on to say that while this tennis season was the toughest of her career, she is now able to look back and appreciate it.
“My year was pretty good and I’m proud overall,” she said. “Honestly, this is the first year that I really kind of struggled, which I’m really happy about. I don’t enjoy losing, but I enjoy having competition and really having to work for it in my matches.
“I didn’t necessarily come out on top in two matches towards the end of the year, but it was still a good feeling to know that I worked as hard as I could all throughout the year, whether it was at No. 1 or No. 2 singles. I was out there to work hard and play my opponent.”
Both players said they would miss their time playing tennis at Heritage.
“Just the atmosphere and just the sport in general,” explained Christol when asked what she’ll miss the most. “It’s just nice to get away from softball and work different muscles and be a different player than I am on the softball field.”
“I’ll definitely miss the atmosphere, overall, and just knowing every day after school that I get to come out here and play and practice with some of the best people I’ve ever met and to have a coach like Coach (Jeff) Green,” Phillips added. “I’m just going to miss that support system more than anything.”