SOUTH KINGSTOWN — South Kingstown’s Alexa Clark hasn’t lost a set since the Interscholastic League State Singles Championship Tournament her freshman season, but nearly losing two this spring might have been the worst thing to happen to her competition at this year’s event.
“She played really well and I don’t think it was a great day for me,” said Clark, referring to her 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory over East Greenwich’s Ellie Coker-Dodman in their season-opening match. “I bounced back from that and that’s over, but I think that changed my mindset a little and made me focus more.”
Dominant doesn’t begin to describe how Clark has played since, but dominant is something the junior has been since her first match for the Rebels. As a freshman, Clark lost to eventual champion Kylie Eaton of Moses Brown in the semifinals of the state singles tourney and she hasn’t lost since.
After going undefeated last year and rolling to the state singles crown, Clark will be back at Slater Park on Friday to get ready for an attempt at a second straight championship.
“I’m kind of just trying to take it for granted and play every match, focus on my game and don’t go for too much,” Clark said. “Kind of go for consistency more and not just hitting it as hard as I can because that doesn’t always work.”
Most of the time it does, but Clark is trying to become a more complete player. She’s drawing interest from Division I college programs and to play at that level — against many players from warm-weather states who have the luxury of practicing in comfortable weather year-round — her physical skills need to be well-rounded and supported by a strong mental game.
For most of her career, Clark has been largely unchallenged. She cruised through the Division II schedule her freshman year with the loss to Eaton as the only defeat she has suffered in high school matches. Last year was more of the same and she won the state title match over La Salle’s Arianna DeThomas in less than 50 minutes.
More: SK’s Alexa Clark wanted to be a more complete player. On Sunday, she showed what that means.
After winning the Division II team title last year, South Kingstown moved up to Division I. Clark knew the move would mean more competitive matches and she couldn’t afford to take a day off. The season-opener against East Greenwich and Coker-Dodman proved as much.
Having been close to losing a set might have been the best thing to start Clark’s season. Since then, she’s been impressively dominant, winning her 12 matches and dropping only 17 games. Her toughest match was played against Rogers’ Grace Rochelle, whom Clark swept, 6-3, 6-2, and the rematch with Coker-Dodman, which Clark won, 6-1, 6-2.
Needless to say, Clark is the heavy favorite to reach and win Sunday’s State Championship Singles Tournament final. Her biggest challengers might be two players she hasn’t seen this season. East Providence’s Abigail Ellison, who played for the boys team the last two seasons, is undefeated in Division II, won the D-II qualifier and could see Clark in the quarterfinals. Barrington’s Ava Koczera-Kasem is the No. 2-overall seed and while the Rebels and Eagles haven’t played their team match yet, the two could very well meet in Sunday’s final.
Clark isn’t thinking that far ahead. Her focus is on her opening match against Bay View’s Angelina Maldonado.
“Of course I feel pressure but I know how to handle it,” Clark said. “I’m going to go out there and do my best and see how that works out for me and work hard, keep myself composed and I should see what my results would be.”
Eagles flying high
While many expected La Salle to be the favorite to win the girls state team title this spring — and why wouldn’t it — Barrington has established itself as the team to beat as the postseason draws near.
The Rams went into this season as 10-time defending state champs, winners of 12 of the last 13 state title matches and winners of 138 straight matches.
On Sept. 3, in the season opener, the Eagles put an end to it with a 4-3 victory that has set a tone for the season.
“We were just like, ‘Go play and have fun,’ ” coach Polly Danyla said. “When I kept seeing win after winning happening, I was like, ‘Oh, my god, I think we’re going to win this.’
“After that, I was like, ‘Girls, we have a chance to take it home’ and they knew it.’ ”
Barrington hasn’t lost this season. Ten days after the victory over La Salle, the Eagles had to gut out a 4-3 win over North Kingstown, but the performances since have been wildly impressive. In the rematch with La Salle, Barrington came away with a 5-2 victory, despite missing its No. 2 singles player, and six days later defeated the Skippers by the same score.
Experience and depth have been keys to the season. Koczera-Kasem is a returning All-Stater who anchors the ladder at No. 1 and, with an undefeated season so far, has earned herself the No. 2 overall seed in this weekend’s State Tournament.
At the bottom of the singles lineup, Charlotte Byon has been a rock at No. 4 and hasn’t lost all season. Sadie Specter and Anna Pani have solidified the middle of the lineup and Barrington goes into every match confident its singles lineup is going to perform.
In doubles, the No. 1 team of Abby Friedman and Jasmine Malik are undefeated and are the favorites at this weekend’s RIIL Girls Tennis Doubles State Tournament. The No. 2 team of Carla Chen and Jillian Frechette has also been dominant and has qualified for the state tourney. The No. 3 team of Sadie Brown and Ana Mycue rounds out the lineup and has given the Eagles a point they can count on.
Barrington’s final match of the regular season is set for Tuesday. The Eagles will be the No. 1 seed and the team to beat. It’s a different kind of pressure than the team had on Sept. 3, but it’s pressure for which they’re ready.
“Right now, it’s just one match at a time,” Danyla said. “We’re taking it one at a time and we’re not focusing on anything else. We’re just grateful for each and every match we do win.
“They’re ready [for the playoffs]. They’re going to be hungry, too. They know La Salle is out for blood.”
Division II drama
Two teams have established themselves as the favorites in Division II and, while there are some others trying to creep into the shadows, right now it’s looking like a two-horse race for the title.
Coming off a semifinal appearance last year with most of its roster in tact, Westerly is undefeated against Division II opponents this season and it’s not hard to see why.
“Every single match we’ve had this year has been nip and tuck,” Westerly coach Terence McAndrew said. “Thanks to that experience, in regard to the tiebreakers, we’ve won 80% of the tiebreaks we’ve played. It shows that a lot of the kids have been there.”
It’s been a huge season for the Bulldogs in terms of qualifying players for this weekend’s state tournaments. Westerly’s Nos. 1 and 3 singles players, Virginia Royce and Mallorey Clark, qualified, as did the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles teams of Simona Hackett and Maggie Scanapieco and Katelyn Arnold and Macey Garafola.
Rounding out the order is No. 2 Erica Nyberg, No. 4 Addison Serra and the No. 2 doubles team of Maddie Mankoff and Mia Urso. McAndrew said it’s hardly been a case of singles or doubles being stronger and more of a case of players taking turns coming up in big spots.
It’s what’s helped Westerly be one of Division II’s best teams.
“We mentioned it as soon as we found out the four other teams — Chariho, South Kingstown, Ponaganset and Narragansett — got bumped up,” McAndrew said. “We knew we would be one of the favorites, but it’s not about winning and losing. It’s about competing and the kids have done a great job of getting ready for every match.”
It’s not hard to see which team is Westerly’s biggest challenger.
After moving down from Division I, where it went 3-9 last fall, Prout returned most of its roster and the experience has shown. The Crusaders’ lone Division II loss this season was a score of 4-2 at the hands of the Bulldogs in the season opener.
“I think we came out of that feeling pretty good,” coach Wayne Turner said. “We would have liked to have played that math later in the season, but at the same token, it was the first time around for us and for Westerly.”
Second-team All-Stater Mia Renzulli gave the Crusaders an elite talent at No. 1, and No. 2 Madeline Mattiucci has had a breakout season. Both players have qualified for this weekend’s state tournament. Seniors Caitlin Trainor and Ava Pickett give the team experience they needed at the back of the order.
State qualifiers Sierra Redfern and Athanasia Stefanopoulos are the No. 2 doubles team in Division II and the lineup remains strong with the No. 2 team of Olivia Lemay and Caitlin Tadamala and No. 3 team of Ellie Grimm and Maddie Wilkinson.
When the two teams met on Sept. 3, Westerly grabbed victories at Nos. 1 and 4 singles and Nos. 1 and 3 doubles, with a match unfinished at No. 2 doubles. Next Thursday, the teams will close the regular season against one another in a match that will give better insight as to which team will be the favorite entering the postseason.
“For the girls’ confidence, it would be nice to come out of Westerly with maybe better results in these matches,” Turner said. “The biggest match would be if we’re all fortunate to get to the [Division II] final because that would be the one that really counts.
“The biggest and most important thing to me is keeping the girls confident and upbeat, and with a little luck, just getting to that ultimate goal.”
“We had Senior Night planned for the Prout match but the kids asked me to move it to Tuesday so they could stay extra focused for that match,” McAndrew said. “We’re not putting too much meaning into that match because, in fairness to East Providence, they’re in the running as well.”
Division III dominance
The last time Coventry won a state title, seeing a high school player with a wooden racket wasn’t out of the ordinary.
Technology has changed since the Oakers’ 1988 Class C Championship and, as the regular season winds down, the team is the favorite to win the Division III title.
While its certainly no slam dunk – as the Oakers’ 4-3 loss to Tiverton on Wednesday proved – Coventry has been playing championship level tennis this spring. Prior to the defeat to to the Tigers, its closest contests were 5-2 victories over Exeter-West Greenwich in the season opener, Division II Cranston East on Sept. 16 and at home against Providence Country Day in a then-battle of unbeatens.
Coventry No. 1 Grace Koczela and No. 2 Keely Hall both qualified for this weekend’s state singles tournament and have been solid atop the order. Anna Bryson and Keelyn Hall have battled all season and become points the Oakers have been able to count on every match.
Doubles might be Coventry’s strength. The No.1 doubles team of Lylia Davies and Morgan Lemoi have been terrific all season and will make the trip to Pawtucket this weekend for the state doubles tournament. The No. 2 team of Meladi McCue and Brooke Roma have gotten the job done and the No. 3 team of freshmen Gia Lovell and Ella Navakauskas have come up big when needed.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: South Kingstown’s Alexa Clark looks for second straight tennis title
