STATE EXTRA: No time to rest for Wilson tennis

RADFORD
The Wilson girls tennis team’s celebration after winning the state championship was short and sweet.

Very short, but oh so sweet.

Shortly after 1 p.m., after defeating Gate City in the championship match and a quick trophy presentation on the court at Radford University, the four seniors were jetted away by anxious parents to attend their graduations, 136 miles away at James Madison University.

The buzz that could be heard on I-81 from Radford to Harrisonburg was the quartet of happy Hornets scrambling to join their other classmates to turn the tassels.

The time of the graduation was slated to be at 3:30 in Harrisonburg.

With graduation gowns over their tennis outfits, Christine Coffield, Jamie Stark, Amanda Gorby, Kala Guy along with head coach Seth Lovell, were quickly taken the ceremonies, just a few minutes after it had started.

“What a unique way to go out,” Lovell said. “That was pretty neat.”

At graduation, Coffield presented the championship trophy to the school and Lovell was the keynote speaker.

Had it not been for some inspired play by sophomore Hannah Shields and junior Katie Hock in doubles, the four graduates could have missed a lot more of the ceremonies and might have been disappointed rather than jubilant.

Hock, teaming with Gorby at No. 3 doubles, easily defeated their Gate City opponents in straight sets.

Shields, teaming with Guy, had slightly more difficulty at No. 2, clinching the match for Coffield and Stark, who were in a tight match with Gate City’s No. 1 team.

But the day belonged to the seniors, who prevailed and were able to lift the trophy and receive their diplomas on the same day.

Oh, and what about that keynote speech, coach?

Lovell’s topic was choosing to succeed to be ready for the next step in life.

Maybe the seniors had taken a sneak peek at the speech.

They certainly played like they had.