Vestavia tennis pulls out narrow victory at state tournament

It came down to the final match, and the Vestavia Hills girls tennis team did just enough to edge Mountain Brook, 42-40, to win the Class 7A state tennis championship.

“It’s something I’ve never experienced before,” head coach Shelley Sumner said. “I’m a very competitive person myself. It was something that you always dream about and think about and so it was really unbelievable and a great experience.”

The Lady Rebels could not celebrate the victory until the final match of the day was completed: one they had no control over. It was a singles match between Huntsville and Mountain Brook, and Vestavia needed Huntsville to win.

“When that last ball (hit), we knew it was over. We kind of exploded,” Sumner said. 

She said, “It was one of those where you’re not yelling out loud or cheering out loud, but inside you’re going, ‘please please please,’ or we’re going to a playoff.”

Sumner said much of her team had been sitting around for awhile or had just finished playing, so being forced to a playoff would not have been an ideal scenario.

The Rebels got a total of four state championships in the singles and doubles portions. Georgia Moros won the title at No. 3 singles, and Maggie Nelson defeated Mountain Brook’s Morgan Jenkins in the No. 5 final, a big victory considering the final score. Harper Anderson took home the honor in No. 6 singles.

No. 1 Haley Harmon reached the semifinals and No. 4 Rebecca Pearlman advanced to the finals in singles.

Moros and Maggie Nelson won the doubles championship in No. 3 doubles, while Harmon and Hannah Nelson reached the No. 1 finals.