The Shadow
Tennis season came to a close Thursday for Alleghany seniors Rachelle Casstevens and Esther Allman.
Casstevens opened play in yesterday’s singles semifinals against Northside’s Karlie Pope.
Pope won the first set 6-1 before knocking off Casstevens 6-3 in the second set to advance to the finals against teammate Kelsie Hendren, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over William Byrd’s Tiffany Hodges in the other semifinal.
“Rachelle is going to be missed. It’s not going to be the same without her next season, but she’s going to JMU and moving on to better things next year and I wish her the best of luck,” said Alleghany coach Jackie Almarode.
“Rachelle has been with me for four years and this season she just kind of fell into the No. 1 spot,” added Almarode.
“She never once complained. She just went out there and gave it her all.”
Hendren went on to win her second consecutive Blue Ridge District singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Pope in the singles championship.
Casstevens and Allman would team up following the conclusion of the singles semifinals to take on Northside’s Pope and Bekah Washington in the doubles semifinals.
The Northside duo would dispatch Casstevens and Allman 6-4, 6-2 to advance to today’s BRD doubles championship against teammates, Hendren and Samantha Nguyen, a 6-0, 6-1 winner over William Byrd’s Hodges and Allena Willard.
Northside and William Byrd will meet today at 1 p.m. at Walrond Park to play the Blue Ridge District team championship that was postponed on Tuesday due to rain.
The doubles championship will follow the conclusion of the team championship.
SINGLES SEMIFINALS
Karlie Pope (N) def. Rachelle Casstevens (A) 6-1, 6-3; Kelsie Hendren (N) def. Tiffany Hodges (WB) 6-2, 6-1
SINGLES FINALS
Hendren (N) def. Pope (N) 6-3, 6-1
DOUBLES SEMIFINALS
Pope/Bekah Washington (N) def. Casstevens/Esther Allman (A) 6-4, 6-2; Hendren/Samantha Nguyen (N) def. Hodges/Allena Willard (WB) 6-0, 6-1
