Durham players finish play in NCHSAA 1A and 2A singles, doubles championship
N.C. High School Athletic Association tennis officials like to mention at award presentations there is only one champion, but the runners-up also should feel proud of their season.
The words might go in one ear and out the other for many disappointed players, but Voyager Academy sophomore Morgan Blount was happy with her NCHSAA 1A runner-up plaque. Her season that went longer than expected before it ended with a 6-1, 6-0 finals loss to Community School of Davidson’s Marisa Deininger Saturday morning at the Cary Tennis Center.
After all, as a freshman, Blount failed to qualify for the state tournament.
“I didn’t make states last year and didn’t know if I would make it this year,” Blount said. “Making it to the semifinals would have been really good for me.”
Blount’s perspective included understanding how difficult it is to bring home hardware from an NCHSAA tournament. She watched her sister Kinsey Blount advance to the semifinals as a senior in 2014 before she was eliminated by eventual state champion Morgan Auger of Kernersville’s Bishop McGuiness.
In 2015, Auger opted to play doubles and combined with Anna Petrangel to win the 1A state title. But that didn’t make Blount’s championship opponent any easier.
“I had some very tough matches (Friday) and I played a girl (Saturday) that was really good,” Blount said. “She was very consistent and tough to keep up with.”
Blount is undaunted about her future. She’s enjoying it more now than when she was younger.
“The more I play, the more I like it,” she said. “This past year I practiced a lot and I was more consistent in matches. I played different kinds of players and learned more about strategy.
“You can be strong physically, but you also have to be strong mentally. You have to be able to combine both. It’s a huge aspect of tennis to control yourself mentally and know what to do.”
Blount’s father, Eddie, added he saw the mental part of his 5-foot-7 daughter’s game catch up to her physical ability.
“Last year she was athletic and strong, but this year her game moved up a level when she started to understand the strategy of tennis,” he said. “She really picked it up this year.”
2A matches
The Triangle’s other representatives Saturday at the Cary Tennis Center were eliminated as semifinalists in the 2A tournament.
In 2A doubles, Lake Norman Charter’s Oliva and Hannah Archer took home the doubles title. They defeated Sarah Yuan and Annie Xie of North Carolina School of Science and Math 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals.
In 2A singles, Rachel Rice of Durham School of Arts lost 6-0, 6-2 to Maiden’s Zoe Huffman.
This story was originally published October 31, 2015 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Durham players finish play in NCHSAA 1A and 2A singles, doubles championship."