Othello Huskies secure sixth place at 2A State Tennis tournament

The Othello Huskies girls’ tennis team concluded its season with a sixth-place finish at the 2A State Tennis tournament, held over the weekend at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle. The squad sent three athletes to the state-level competition, with senior Olivia Harris representing the team in singles and seniors Shaylee Freeman and Faith Risenmay competing in doubles.

Harris opened her singles campaign against Jenny Serebriakova of the Columbia River Rapids, suffering a 6-0, 6-0 defeat that sent her into the consolation bracket. She rebounded with a decisive victory against Lucy Cao of the Bremerton Knights, winning the second set 6-1 after dropping the first 6-2. However, Harris’s tournament run ended in a third-set tiebreaker loss to Cao, concluding her state-level play. Harris described the experience as a significant personal milestone, noting that reaching the state tournament had been a long-held goal and expressing pride in the level of skill required to achieve it.

In the doubles competition, Freeman and Risenmay faced a rigorous schedule to advance. They defeated a North Kitsap duo in a three-set thriller, winning 6-4 in the final set after dropping the opener 6-2. The pair then overcame Tumwater in another close contest, securing a 6-4 victory in the deciding set after winning the first-set tiebreaker 7-5 and dropping the second 4-6. Their momentum continued into the semifinals, where they faced Sehome. Despite a strong effort, the Huskies were defeated 6-2, 6-1, moving them into the third-place match.

The team’s final match saw them fall 6-0, 6-0 to Sehome, resulting in a sixth-place finish. Freeman acknowledged the physical toll of the previous day’s matches, noting that fatigue impacted their performance in the final bout. Nevertheless, she expressed satisfaction with the result, highlighting that competing at the state level was a major achievement after playing three sports throughout her high school career.

Coach Priscilla Tovar praised the seniors for their four-year development, citing their hard work, integrity, and sportsmanship as defining characteristics of their tenure. Tovar noted that the coaching staff received frequent compliments from opposing coaches regarding the team’s conduct. The seniors, who have been part of the program since their freshman year, plan to continue playing tennis in college and socially, aiming to leave a legacy of determination and kindness for the Othello tennis program.