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Photo courtesy of Jason Ding.
Vestavia Hills High School’s girls and boys tennis teams won the Class 7A state titles in Mobile on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Photo courtesy of Jason Ding.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Caroline Helms volleys the ball in a doubles match with Wynn Strubel against Thompson during the Class 7A, Section 3 tennis sectionals at the Hoover Met Tennis Complex on Monday, April 15, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ John Michael Yanosky returns the ball in a doubles match with Brayden Helms against Thompson during the Class 7A, Section 3 tennis sectionals at the Hoover Met Tennis Complex on Monday, April 15, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Vestavia Hills High School tennis teams executed another clean sweep of the Class 7A state tournament.
The Rebels boys and girls took home both titles for the second time in three years, with the boys winning it all for the third straight time. The tournament was held Monday and Tuesday at the Mobile Tennis Center.
Vestavia’s boys piled up 58 points, well clear of runner-up Florence’s 26 points. The boys won eight of a nine possible courts on the way to the dominant result. Vestavia’s girls scored 41 points to beat Auburn, which scored 30.
Both Vestavia’s boys and girls won big at the sectional tournament the week prior to qualify for state.
For the boys, the mindset was to get off to a good start in the tournament after the first day. It’s safe to say they did that, as the Rebels won all 15 matches they played Monday.
“Fortunately, our guys came out and played extremely well,” Vestavia boys coach Oliver Aaron said.
The girls team stood strong in the midst of a challenging two days as well, bringing home their second state championship in a three-year span.
“I am so proud of my players for taking on hard competition and holding their mental fortitude,” girls coach Timarie Fisk said. “They remain steady and aggressive, which is what you need when you are playing a strong opponent.”
Luke Bedwell, John Michael Yanosky, Andrew Pipkin, Brayden Helms, Louis Kollettis and Parker Liu all won singles titles, with only one dropped set in the finals amongst the six. The doubles tandems of Helms and Yanosky, along with Pipkin and Kolettis, won in doubles as well. Florence’s No. 2 doubles pair knocked off Ben Cusmariu and Bedwell in the championship round.
For the girls, Kenley Outzen, Caroline Helms, Peyton Standifer and Riley McClain all won singles titles. At No. 2 doubles, Helms and Wynn Strubel took the title.
Madison Standifer was a semifinalist at No. 1 singles and Strubel played No. 5 singles. Standifer and Outzen made it to the semifinals at No. 2 doubles as well.
Even though the boys have won three straight titles, new players have stepped into the lineup each year. Players like Bedwell and Yanosky have been part of things the last three years, with several others a big part of the last two teams. Aaron credits the current and even some of the recent graduates with setting the bar high for the program.
“They’ve come in and seen the foundation and structure that we wanted to bring,” Aaron said.
McClain was the only senior on the girls team, while Yanosky, Brayden Helms, Collier Clemmons and Chandler Peeples were seniors on the boys team.
Aaron and Fisk each spoke about several other factors off the court that have helped Vestavia Hills build a dominant program in recent years. Many of the tennis players are well-rounded, participating and excelling in academics and several extracurricular activities. The support from the community has also been stellar. Both teams have seen success come from the dedication of everyone on the roster.
“A huge factor was the entire team’s commitment to each other,” Fisk said. “It is important that each player is 100% committed to their role on the team. Whether on or off the court, each player is needed. The energy from players off court is so important to the play on the court. You can see the difference in a team as their teammates rally and support them from the sidelines.”
