Girls tennis beats out Rebels for state title

In division 6A girls tennis in the state of Alabama, you’re one of three things: Mountain Brook, Vestavia, or a nobody. At least, that’s the way it seems. The last 12 state championships have been won by either the Spartans or the Rebels, with the Spartans taking the most recent title by a narrow margin. The Lady Spartans are now back-to-back state champions.

Day One of the 2012 state championships began with a bad break for Mountain Brook. Junior Sarah Bowron, who is the team’s number one singles player, drew defending champion Kelsey Coots. Coots, as Spartan coach Susan Farlow put it, was “one of only two girls we really did not want to meet up with.”

“Normally someone as talented as Sarah will make it easily through the first day and last to the finals,” Farlow said.

Bowron lost a tough one to Coots. However, the remaining competitors made up for the tough loss. Carlee Petro, Sara Cohen, Farris Ann Luce and Mary Martha Grizzle won all their singles matches on the first day. All of the girls doubles teams won all matches on the first day.

Singles wins are worth two points while doubles are worth three, leaving the Spartans down two points to Vestavia headed into the final day. However, the team was confident as the Rebels’ doubles teams both lost on day one.

Petro, Cohen and Grizzle won their singles finals on the second day, and one of the doubles teams won their final matches. These efforts gave Mountain Brook a five-point advantage over Vestavia for the day, making for a final score of Mountain Brook 59, Vestavia 56.

Farlow praised Petro, calling her “tough as nails.” Petro’s efforts in singles helped push the Spartans over the top.

The nail biter finish lent excitement to the Lady Spartans’ second straight state championship. With Mountain Brook and Vestavia once again battling over the girls’ title, expect more of the same in the years to come.