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April ended in a flurry of fierce competition as the championship atmosphere at John Drew Tennis Center in Macon reached its peak. Every serve, every volley, every moment of perseverance—came down to this championship battle, where the Grace Christian Academy girls’ tennis team would prove they were worthy of the state crown.

Head coach Rhonda Wells, having finally become the coach of state champions, had methodically constructed a winning lineup, setting her team up for their defining moment.

“This aspect of it is a little different,” Wells explained. “We’re blessed by the GIAA (Georgia Independent Athletic Association) to be able to compete individually and as a team. The week before last, we had two doubles champions—the boys’ and the girls’ doubles state champs. But this past week was all about the team’s advancement.”

GCA entered the state tournament as the top seed, an advantage in a competition that relied on strategic matchups. “You have to look ahead to who your competitors will be,” Wells said. “When you go on the court, all five lines—three singles and two doubles—compete at the same time. The first school to win three out of five takes the match.”

The early rounds went smoothly, defeating John Hancock and David Emanuel to clinch a spot in the state championship match, but Wells had her eye on LaGrange Academy. “They were going to be the school to beat. They have some really talented singles players—tournament kids that play all the time.”

Faced with LaGrange’s powerhouse lineup, Wells made a strategic decision. “I decided to split Kate and Sybil up because they’re both strong singles players,” she explained. “Kate stayed at one singles, and I paired her with Madeline, who had played line two singles all year. I knew I could coach Madeline along, and Kate could help guide her during the match.”

That freed up Sybil to play singles, slotting her into line two based on her UTR (Universal Tennis Ratings) ranking. Elijah Grace held the number one spot, while Grier Albritton moved to line three. The doubles pairings were equally calculated—Sailor Tuten, a crafty freshman, teamed up with Allie Roberts, an athletic senior playing her first year.

Wells’ strategy came to fruition as the GCA girls delivered under pressure, claiming the state championship with three victories.

Looking back on the team’s triumph, Wells reflected on what made the difference. “We had five seniors,” she said. “I think they knew there was no reason they shouldn’t win. They just wanted it—and went out there and did whatever they had to do.”