Nov. 6—It was hard to figure out which court to watch Tuesday at the Weeks Tennis Center.
The action was that compelling, the level of play so good, that many of the spectators for the Class AAAA second-round playoff match between South Aiken and Gray Collegiate couldn’t help but divert their gaze from court to court just as quickly as they would from one baseline to the other during a single match.
There was also the option to park on one of the center’s benches, which a group of South Aiken players who weren’t playing in the match did to watch the No. 4 singles match on the far court — only to be chided by head coach Dee Dee Redd, reminding them that, hey, there were T-Breds playing on four other courts simultaneously and could also use some support.
Reason to cheer grew as South Aiken kept winning points, kept winning games — and kept winning matches. Sophia Rainchuso’s win at No. 4 singles gave the T-Breds the fourth match win they needed, rendering a potential deciding No. 1 doubles match unnecessary as the T-Breds moved on to Thursday’s third round with a 4-2 victory.
“Absolutely amazing. I’m super proud of these ladies. Gray Collegiate is the only team we had lost a match against in region, and then we came back and we won the second round against them,” said Redd, whose team will host South Florence on Thursday for a spot in the Lower State finals. “We really had high hopes. The fact that we won straight out, 4-2, was very impressive. Our last win went to No. 1 doubles, so this one was a clear-cut win. Even one of our other lines went to a third-set tiebreak, so even close on that court, as well.”
Gray Collegiate struck first, getting the first win on the board at No. 2 singles when Sidney Moore beat junior Jena Quinn 6-1, 6-1. South Aiken players started notching first-set wins on other courts, but both sides knew there wouldn’t be a time to breathe easy until the winning point was scored.
“Every court was excellent tennis and all very high-level,” Redd said. “Gray Collegiate has a great program, so for us to go out there and be able win against them says a lot about their team and our team. They’re all very competitive.”
South Aiken’s No. 2 doubles tandem of senior Isabel Kelly and sophomore Silver Hamic squared the match with a 6-2, 6-0 win, and then junior Kinsee Smith put the T-Breds ahead with a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles.
Sophomore Anrei Delariarte, who hasn’t slowed down since a strong showing over the summer at the prestigious Festival of Flowers, came in next with a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles, leaving the T-Breds a match win away from advancing.
They got that from Rainchuso, a junior whose calm demeanor — and near-flawless return game — frustrated her opponent. Rainchuso notched a 6-2 win in set one, then held a 6-5 lead in set two when Redd told her to just keep returning every shot. She did, earning a 7-5 win in set two to clinch the match for the T-Breds.
All that was left was the No. 3 singles match, which Karis Kissiah nearly won before falling in a tiebreaker that went down to the wire. She was “presented” with the team’s spirit racket, which was in someone’s car and not available for the post-match team circle, afterward as the T-Breds celebrated a full-team effort.
“I don’t think that one person really stood out. I think the team as a whole, just, they impress me every single time we play a match,” Redd said. “From our No. 1, Anrei, an amazing tennis player who’s only had one loss the entire season, all the way to our doubles No. 2, which, one of my players, this is her first year officially playing tennis. Her and my senior together are dominating on the doubles court, and that’s really impressive to see. Every girl out here plays amazing tennis, and I was really proud to see that all tonight.”
