The fall sports season has been remarkably successful for Barstow. With the boys’ soccer team making it to districts and the girls’ volleyball team going undefeated in conference, Barstow sports teams have given it their all this season. In particular, the girls’ tennis team accomplished something at every tournament they attended, including the KC Invitational, Districts, and then the State championship.
Junior Aishi Sethi ‘23 explained how the team “had two different state championships. We had individual state where we had to qualify through districts. I didn’t qualify for that, but Sarena qualified for singles, Atra and Phoebe qualified for doubles, and Lia and Mary also qualified for doubles. It went really well, Sarena won her bracket and Phoebe and Atra won theirs and they actually met with Lia and Mary in the doubles finals where Phoebe and Atra got 1st and Lia and Mary got 2nd.”
Junior Sarena Biria ‘23 received the first place title in the single’s division; partners Phoebe Martin ‘24 and Atra Biria ‘24, as well as Lia Adams ‘24 and Mary Colombo ‘23 won the double’s championship. The doubles teams met each other in the finals. It was a surprise to see such a young team perform so well at the start of their high school tennis careers.
“It was super cool to watch them play,” Sethi ‘23 said. “Even though I didn’t play, I still had a great time watching them go through all of these matches and be as successful as they were. State was a whole different experience since we were all on the courts at the same time. We each played doubles, we each played singles and we got to be there for each other, playing right next to each other. Overall, it was a good team bonding experience and it was fun having the wins that we did.”
The girls spent two days in Springfield, MO for the state championship. Putting tennis aside, the girls had a great experience. Aishi ‘23 indicated, “Back at the hotel, we all went into one room where we ate together, hung out, and tried to watch a movie, but we all fell asleep. The next day we went to this really nice dinner… We all got to talk to each other and it was a lot of fun because we are all really close.”
The girls are expecting another appearance at state next year. With such a young team, it is likely to see the same successes that we saw this year continue all throughout the girls’ high school career.
