Columbia High School’s Claire Hayes Secures Spot at State Tennis Tournament
Columbia High School’s singles tennis player, Claire Hayes, had an impressive performance at the 1A District 4 girls varsity tennis championship tournament, winning three straight matches on Thursday, May 16. Hayes defeated Halle Hill from Castle Rock High School in the first round with a score of 6-1, 6-2. She then went on to secure victories against Bailey Andersen from Eatonville High School and Hazel Langer from Stevenson High School in the following rounds.
At the end of the first day of the tournament, Hayes was among the top four singles players, with all four players representing the Gorge, including players from Columbia and Stevenson. The tournament finals took place on Friday, May 17, at Stevenson High School, where Hayes faced off against Samia Rudd and finished as the runner-up with a score of 6-4, 6-4.
As the top two finishers, both Rudd and Hayes have earned a spot to compete in the 1A WIAA State Tournament in Yakima, Washington, on May 24-25. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as only two singles players have qualified for the state tennis tournament since 2000, with the last occurrence in 2012.
In addition to Hayes’ success, the Bruins doubles team of Audrey Coyner and Josephine Beck finished third at the district tournament and will be attending the state tournament as alternates. Juliet Perez, another singles player from Columbia High School, placed fourth at the district tournament.
Overall, the Columbia High School tennis team had a winning season, finishing second in the Evergreen League with a record of 9-2 and placing second in the district tournament, earning ten points. The team’s strong performance is a testament to their hard work and dedication throughout the season.