CHAPMANVILLE — The Chapmanville Lady Tigers tennis team is going back to the state tournament.
After winning the regional title for the second consecutive year, and taking their first Cardinal Conference title since 2016, the Lady Tigers look to build on last season’s effort where they tied Logan for state runner-up in Charleston.
Chapmanville’s girls’ team finished the season 16-2, with their only losses being to Logan. The Lady Tigers later came back to defeat Logan overall by one match, 17-16, at the Cardinal Conference tournament, and tying Logan 24-24 in matches won at last weeks Region IV tennis tournament.
Chapmanville finished with four overall championships to Logan’s three championships to give them the edge for the regional crown.
The success the Lady Tigers have enjoyed this season has been unprecedented in the school’s tennis history, as this is the first time they have won both the conference, and region, and sent all six players to the state tournament in all seven positions.
Head Coach Chris Kidd said the season has been a lot of fun for his kids and is proud of their success.
“I’ve coached the middle school program here in Chapmanville for 13 years and been on the coaching staff in high school for that long as well, and if you had told me when I started that we would be doing this and starting to do things like this consistently, I don’t know if I would have believed it,” Kidd said. “Those kids early on set the groundwork for this, and I’ll be forever grateful for them. Those early groups gave us four state champions in 2014, four state runner-up players, 24 state semifinalists, conference titles, and tied for a regional title in 2014. We’ve had a lot of success that has built this culture and now we’re starting to take bigger steps each year.”
Chapmanville’s top-seeded player, freshman Courtney Curnutte, became the first player in school history to qualify for the state tournament in singles and doubles as a freshman this year and finished the season with an impressive 15-3 individual record.
Curnutte said it was an accomplishment and one of many she had hopes for at the start of the season and is excited about the state tournament.
“It’s nice knowing I accomplished some goals I set for myself awhile back,” Curnutte said. “I’ve spent many hours with Mike Hanshaw coaching me and I am continuing to enjoy the process, and I’m looking forward to many more achievements that are to come. I am thankful for the opportunity to play in the state tournament. I am looking forward to a great experience and also grateful I get to go in my freshman year.”
Curnutte also said she appreciated her teammates’ support this season.
“My favorite part of being on the team is being surrounded by many people who are so supportive …….