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For the first time since 2018, the Callaway girls tennis team has won a playoff match. The Cavaliers did it in style on Tuesday afternoon, dismantling Thomson 5-0 in the first round of the 2A state playoffs. 

“This is really exciting, this is the first time we have won in the playoffs since I’ve been here,” senior Yujin Jang said. “This is the first time I’ve been to the second round, and I don’t want it to stop there.”

It has been a long time coming for Callaway. The Cavaliers finished as the Region 2-2A runner-up this season, and the team has come a long way this season.

One of the biggest reasons for the team elevating its game this season was the introduction of freshman Emberily Green. She was a member of the JV team in eighth grade and slotted in as the No. 1 singles player this year despite her youth. 

“It’s a big responsibility, but I played JV last year, which really helped me,” Green said. “I want to keep going for all the seniors.”

Jang had been the No. 1 singles player for Callaway. The talented senior has slotted in as the no. 2 singles player this season, and that has seen the team make major strides.

The entire singles lineup was completely dominant on Tuesday. Callaway’s no. 3 singles player, Autumn Allen, used to be a member of a doubles pairing when she first got to the high school ranks. She has really come into her own as a singles player. 

“The transition was actually really easy because I feel like I’m better as a singles player,” Allen said. “I wanted to come out and get it done today.”

Green, Jang and Allen all put on a clinic against the Bulldogs on Tuesday. Each won in straight sets without dropping a single game (6-0, 6-0).

“We came out with the mentality of just get it done and leave no doubt,” Green said. 

The doubles teams had to work a little bit harder to earn wins against Thomson. The senior pairing of Aliyah Tucker and Danajha Amey overcame some early jitters and settled in nicely to come away with a 6-3, 6-0 win. 

“After that first set, we talked about how we were messing up and we knew what we were doing wrong, so we fixed that and there was no problem,” Amey said. 

Tucker and Amey have been attached at the hip on the tennis courts since their freshman years (and even longer away from the sport). The two’s partnership has only strengthened over the years. 

“I feel like what I lack, she has, and what she lacks, I can help pick her up,” Tucker said. “That’s why I feel like we have such a strong connection.”

Even with the outcome long settled, Navya Kothari and Jaiden Bartlett fought hard to ensure the Cavaliers would be perfect on the day. The duo won the opening set 6-2, but lost a hard-fought second set 7-5. The Cavalier pairing rallied to win the third set 7-1.

Callaway will travel to Sonoraville for the second round of the state playoffs early next week.