GREENE COUNTY
After having two successful seasons, members of the Lake Oconee Academy boys and girls tennis teams were honored for their outstanding play over the course of the regular season and the state playoffs.
The Lady Titans made their deepest postseason run to date after losing to the eventual state champions, Christian Heritage, in the semifinals of the GHSA Class A Division II state tournament this past year.
Additionally, the Titans were able to defend their 2022 state title after defeating Taylor County in just three matches in this year’s state finals match at Berry College.
Both teams are coached by Tom Imhof, and he told the Lake Oconee News that both programs had great player leadership which really helped develop everyone’s game.
“Both teams had great senior leadership in which they were able to show them the ropes, and kind of took them under their wings in order to get better,” Imhof said. “They showed them this is how we practice, this is the level of commitment you need to have and this is what being held accountable is like, and I really think that’s why both teams had such a great year.”
All seven of the varsity starters for both teams ended up earning All-State honors when all was said and done.
For the girls' team, junior and third singles player Anika Imhof was the only Lady Titan to earn First-Team All-State recognition.
First singles player Love Kalpak, and the senior duo of Lake Oconee Academy’s first doubles team Georgia Bosart and Hannah Heinen were all named to the Second-Team All-State for their dominant performances throughout the season as well.
Second singles player Willa Kent and the second doubles pairing of Hailey Heinen and Riley Payne were awarded All-State honors after being named Class A Division II honorable mentions.
For the boys' team, senior and first singles player Cooper Ciavola was not only named to the First-Team All-State, but he was also recognized as the Class A Division II Player of the Year for the second-consecutive year.
Ciavola was accompanied by the second doubles pairing of Christian Moore and Wyatt Imhof on the First-Team All-State team as well.
The Titans’ first doubles team of Adam Kalmanowicz and Justin Zahler joined third singles player Garrett Payne on the Second-Team All-State team, while second singles player Maddox Cantrell was recognized as an All-State honorable mention.
All 14 athletes help solidify Lake Oconee Academy’s recent dominance on the hard court, and Imhof believes their recent success will only help bolster future rosters.