ALTOONA, Pa. – In a rematch of the 2023 District 6 Class 2A singles final, Central senior Julia Ritchey used a powerful serve to help her claim momentum in Wednesday’s match against Central Cambria senior Marley Ratchford.
No. 1 seed Ritchey, who defeated second-seeded Ratchford twice during the regular season in straight sets, was able to avenge 2023’s district final loss and prevail despite Ratchford’s valiant effort in a 6-3, 6-2 victory at The Summit Tennis & Athletic Club that lasted 64 minutes.
“Marley’s a good competitor,” Ritchey said. “Every time we play against each other, it’s always a good battle. I just did not want to feel pain like that ever again after losing that final. I was, like, ‘I got to put the work in. I got to change up my game because she’s going to keep doing her thing if it’s working.’
“I played a lot smarter this time than I did last year. I had to work on being more consistent, playing longer rallies and just trusting myself, and not being scared to hit the ball.”
Ritchey became the first District 6 singles champion in program history. She will play Nov. 1 in Hershey during the first round of the PIAA tournament.
Ratchford advanced to her third district singles final. She lost in 2022 and 2024, but beat Ritchey in three sets (6-4, 2-6, 7-5) during their 2023 match that lasted 138 minutes, winning the final four games.
Ratchford combined with Ella Persio in 2022 to win district doubles gold.
“I think going into it, I lost to her twice this season, so I needed to play my game,” Ratchford said. “I tried not to get too nervous. I feel like my mental state was a lot better this year.
“Even though I didn’t get the outcome I wanted, I felt like I did pretty well mentally.”
Ritchey defeated Ratchford 6-4, 6-2 Thursday and 6-2, 6-2 Sept. 3.
Three games went to deuce throughout Wednesday’s match. A Ritchey ace in the first and third games of the match helped her build a 3-0 lead. Ratchford battled back and took two of the next three games to trail 4-2. A Ritchey winning ace and Ratchford prevailing during a deuce point made it 5-3. Ritchey won the next game to go up 1-0 with a 6-3 victory in the first set.
“My serve definitely was a big factor,” Ritchey said of her eight aces.
“If my serve’s not on, then my game’s not on. I know if I’m getting my first serve in, it’s going to be pretty much impossible for her to get it back.”
“They come in really hard and they’re really spinny, so it’s just about getting low and getting your feet set,” Ratchford said of combatting Ritchey’s strong serve.
Despite not feeling 100%, Ratchford gave it her all on the court.
“Not to use this as an excuse, Marley has been sick for over a week,” Central Cambria coach Kim Cavalier said. “She’s been having problems breathing. She couldn’t catch her breath today. She didn’t have the strength. She just wasn’t playing her best. You can see that in some of her shots.”
Ratchford’s shots just missed out early on that could have changed the complexion of the match.
”They do get in your head a little, but you can’t hit it too close to the lines, I guess,” Ratchford said. “It’s just about really focusing on getting that ball on the court.”
Ritchey took an early 2-0 lead in the second set with relative ease. Ratchford responded by winning a game that was extended to deuce despite two double faults to trim the deficit down to 2-1. However, Ritchey roared back by taking the next three games. Ratchford staved off elimination to make it 5-2, but Ritchey recovered to prevail 6-2 in the final game.
Ratchford will team with junior Lydia Paskowski in next week’s doubles tournament.
“It’s definitely going to get me motivated,” Ratchford said. “I want to go to Hershey for something, so I’m really focused on doubles now. I’ll put this in the past and not think about it. I’m really excited for doubles.”
Ratchford won two of the three times she competed against Ritchey in 2023. This fall, Ritchey won all three matches with a possibility of meeting in the District 6 team tournament in a couple weeks. The Central player believes an improved mental game has helped her succeed.
“I think definitely the mental part was the biggest thing,” Ritchey said. “I always get a little bit nervous when I’m about to play her. I make it too big in my head. I just had to tell myself it’s just another tennis match. It doesn’t define me. Just go out and play your game and play long rallies. That’s all you need to do.”
Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.
