The Lake Oconee Academy boys tennis team saw its postseason run come to an end in the GHSA Class A Division II Elite Eight.
Despite the loss, head coach Ron Kalpak believed the season was one he would never forget.
The Titans battled top-ranked Johnson County in the quarterfinals and nearly pulled off a major upset before ultimately falling short against the state’s top team.
“We ran into the number-one team in the state that’s in our classification, and we literally just fell short,” Kalpak said. “They were kind of favored to win, and our guys put up a good fight.”
Despite the loss, Kalpak said he could not have been more proud of his team, especially a senior-heavy group that helped lead the Titans throughout the season.
“I’ve got five seniors on the team, and they’re all graduating,” Kalpak said. “Every match could have been their last, and this one was. But I’m telling you, I could not be more proud of them.”
The Titans relied heavily on their veteran leadership this spring, with senior standouts Christian Moore, Major Mercer, Henry Hynes, Garrett Griffin, and Quinton Anthony leading the way.
Kalpak noted the team also featured many players who were relatively new to tennis, making the group’s success even more impressive.
“We had two newbies on the team,” Kalpak said. “One was a freshman, and one was a sophomore, but they were definitely new to tennis. That was our team — five seniors and a bunch of newcomers.”
While the Titans’ season ended in the Elite Eight, Kalpak pointed to the performance of LOA’s No. 1 doubles team as one of the highlights of the entire season.
Hynes and Griffin were in the middle of a dominant performance against Johnson County’s top doubles team before the overall match concluded.
“They put on a clinic,” Kalpak said. “They were nearly flawless in the way they played. It wasn’t just putting the ball away — it was smashing the ball whenever it came near them. It was something else to watch.”
Although the Titans lost the overall team matchup before Hynes and Griffin could officially finish their match, Kalpak said the duo was well on its way to earning a victory.
“We lost three matches before their match was over, but they were definitely on the way to a victory,” Kalpak said. “It was unbelievable.”
LOA now says goodbye to one of its most accomplished senior classes, including Moore at No. 1 singles, Mercer at No. 2 singles, Hynes and Griffin at No. 1 doubles, and Anthony, who was one half of the No. 2 doubles team.
“Losing the top five players, much less five seniors, is tough,” Kalpak said.
Still, the Titans once again proved they are among the top programs in Class A Division II and will look to build on another deep postseason run next season.