what to expect and had to go into these matches playing their hardest to win and knowing that anything could happen. 

     Due to the great success of the season and not losing a match, the team advanced to dual teams. In dual teams, 32 of the best schools from each conference throughout the state are selected to play each other. There are 16 teams from the east and 16 teams from the west. Unfortunately, Rose lost 6-3 in the second round of dual teams to Terry Sanford High School. 

     The success of the season did not stop there. Rose sent five players to play in regionals: Edie Yount who played singles, Dabney Osborne and Emily Mitchum who played doubles and Cecelia Batton and Britton Seymour who also played doubles. As a result of Osborne and Mitchum’s outstanding performance, they got to play in the state tournament. At states, the girls went 0-1.

     The success at regionals for Mitchum and Osborne did not come completely from their playing, but also from a positive mentality. 

     “My experience at regionals felt about the same as the conference championship because I knew the teams were going to be good, but me and Dabney were playing very well that day so I had confidence,” Mitchum said. 

     Although states did not have the outcome that Mitchum and Osborne had hoped for, an optimistic spin was taken by Mitchum for even having the opportunity to go to states. 

     “My experience at states was way different than conference tournaments and regionals because the teams had way more to bring to the table and there was so much more pressure because of how good the teams were,” Mitchum said. 

     The two girls proved to work very well together as a doubles team.

     “Dabney and I have been playing doubles together for about three years because we both started tennis at the same time”, Mitchum said. “Our whole career has been with each other and we played together on the 18U team at Next Level Training Center.” 

     The season was not always smooth sailing, as the team did endure some challenges throughout. 

     “The hardest thing about this season was definitely the pressure that Coach Marv put on me and the team to win and do the best,” Mitchum said. “Also the heat was really bad this season.” 

     As the season came to a close with the first and final states match on Oct. 29th, the team will have a lot to live up to next season.