Dynamic Duo CARDINAL DOUBLES TEAM WANTS TO WIN EVERY TIME

FARMINGTON — Farmington senior Haley Maxwell and junior Teah Flynn have twice met in the district girls singles championship, yet now form a terrific tandem in switching to doubles this season.

The girls share common interests, chief of which is winning.

“That’s why we’re doing this. We have a good bond,” Haley said.

“Especially against teams we play,” Teah adds.

“I think the greatest thing is how we’ve bonded over the sport. I think that’s why we’re a good pair is because we became friends by playing tennis together,” Haley said, noting, “We didn’t become friends by going to school and telling each other how much we liked each other’s outfit.”

Teah admits the girls really didn’t know each other when they first became teammates on the Farmington varsity tennis team two years ago during her freshman season. That quickly changed as both girls consistently racked up victories in singles competition.

“We started defeating all these people in singles, we have the on- court friendship and then we have the normal, every day friendship. It started out in tennis and grew,” Teah said. “With sports or with a team you always have a strong bond.”

Matt Mahan, Farmington’s first-year tennis coach agrees.

“They play really well together. They kind of have the same thoughts throughout a match, the same vision,” Mahan said.

Teah knew of Haley before the girls met because of Haley’s dad, Bill Maxwell, who coaches tennis. Bill is Haley’s role model in the sport, which she admits has played a secondary role to her enjoyment of basketball partly due to demands on her time to workout with the Lady Cardinals basketball team.

Haley started playing tennis in fifth or sixth grade but hasn’t played consistently.

“I used to play one tournament per summer, that was my goal. That stopped in my 10th grade year.”

Haley broke into the Farmington starting lineup as sophomore and helped propel the Lady Cardinals to a state runnerup finish in 2012 and her summer

Flynn became consumed with basketball. Still, tennis never did go away as Haley followed Bill’s footsteps.

“My dad started playing [ tennis] kind of like a fun thing. Then he kind of developed it into something he really loves. Now, that’s what he does for a living.”

Haley appreciates father’s guidance.

“I can trust him for anything. He’s looking out for me the best,” Haley said. “It’s cool that he can be my coach and my dad.”

Teah’s tennis role model is her private coach Manuel Cervantes, a tennis pro at Pinnacle Country Club of Rogers.

“He’s really understanding when he needs to be. He gives me that drive and dedication to thrive throughout tennis,” Teah said.

Teah began playing tennis at six-years-old starting out with a guy named Dave at Summerhill Racquet Club at Fayetteville.

“He had a kids’ program. It was really fun,” Teah recalls. “Once I got more advanced, I moved over to Fayetteville Athletic Club and finally did a tournament when I was like 10. It’s a good hobby to get involved in and I’ve been playing it ever since.”

Teah won the district singles titles in 2011 and 2012 beating Haley both times before advancing to state where she placed third both years. In those district championship matches, Haley was taken aback at Teah’s self- motivational outbursts.

“She like yells at herself, she’s like pumping herself up.’Let’s go, Teah,’ or ‘Come on, Teah.’ When I played her in singles that would make me so angry, now it fires me up,” Haley said.

“We kind of laugh about the same things,” Teah smiles. “She’s telling me, ‘You’d make me so irritated when you’d do that.’ Sometimes it gets in the other player’s head. Everyone gets so annoyed with it. Everyone is questioning us, ‘Didn’t you like play singles last year?’ We’re like, ‘Yeah, we did, we’re going to double up this year.’”

And their intensity spells double- trouble for opponents.

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