2006 SCISA STATE CHAMPIONS!!

2006 REGION CHAMPIONS!

 

Doubles Lifts Hammond to Crown; In decisive match, Prickett and Stuckey shine

By AKILAH IMANI NELSON (from The State, Oct. 22, 2006)

 

In each of regular-season girls tennis matches between Hammond (19-1 overall, 9-1 region) and Heathwood Hall, doubles played a crucial role in the outcome.

So, neither team was surprised when the South Carolina Independent School Association Class 3A final at Sumter’s Palmetto Tennis Center came down to the No. 1 doubles match on Saturday.

In the end, Hammond’s Alexis Prickett and Caroline Stuckey defeated Heathwood Hall’s Catherine Roach and Cleveland Covington 6-3, 6-2 to earn the Skyhawks a 5-4 victory.

“I was really nervous, but I guess it gave me a lot of adrenaline because I knew how much I wanted to win after six years on the team,” said Stuckey, a senior. “This means everything.”

Both teams played like it in a match that lasted more than four hours.

“I am so ecstatic for these girls because this is what they worked so hard for, and they really deserve it,” Hammond coach Carol Fowles said.

The Skyhawks had hoped they could avoid doubles, but playing without Madison Kocher at No. 3 singles meant they had to sweep the other five singles matches.

Prickett held up her end by storming past Roach, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 1 singles. Prickett, an eight-grader, went 19-0 this season.

“She played a great match and it’s always a great match, anytime we play each other,” said Prickett of her former training partner.

Beth Cotter and Layna Plyler delivered victories at fifth and sixth singles as well.

However, at No. 4 singles, Caroline Lough won a third-set tiebreaker, 10-8, for Heathwood Hall, assuring that doubles would once again play the pivotal role.

Covington made sure the teams went to doubles tied at three with a two-and-a-half-hour victory at No. 2 singles. Covington’s persistent and powerful flat strokes delivered a 14-12 victory in a third-set tiebreaker.

Hammond and Heathwood split the second and third doubles matches, shifting everyone’s attention to the No. 1 doubles match. At the time, Prickett and Stuckey held an lead early in the second set.  The pair then won three consecutive games, and their fans and teammates erupted following match point.

The Highlanders finished 17-3.

“When you step back from it, we did have an excellent season, we just couldn’t get it finished today,” said Highlanders coach David McMurtry.

SCISA Class 3A Championship

Hammond 5, Heathwood Hall 4

Singles: Alexis Prickett (H) d. Catherine Roach 6-1, 6-1; Cleveland Covington (HH) d. Caroline Stuckey 6-7 (7-1), 7-6, 14-12; Lauren Armstrong (HH) d. Alexis Kocher 6-0, 6-0; Caroline Lough (HH) d. Madeline Welsh 6-2, 5-7, 10-8; Beth Cotter (H) d. Shannon Deloach 6-1, 6-4; Layna Plyler (H) d. Lauren Glazer 6-1, 6-1. Doubles: Prickett/Stuckey d. Roach/Covington 6-3, 6-2; Cotter/Kocher d. Armstrong/Lough 1-6, 6-1 (8-6); Deloach/Taylor Lunceford (HH) d. Plyler/Ellen Traylor 6-4, 6-2.

 

 

The Lady Skyhawks defeated Heathwood Hall, 7-2, in a tiebreaker match for the Region Championship.  Alexis Prickett, Caroline Stuckey, Madison Kocher and Layna Plyler won their singles matches.  Stuckey-Prickett sealed the victory with their win in #1 doubles over Roach-Covington.

Congrats to Alexis Prickett, Caroline Stuckey and Madison Kocher for being selected to the Region II-AAA All-Region Tennis Team.  Further congrats to Alexis, who is the region player-of-the-year, and to Coach Fowles for being elected as the region coach-of-the-year!