Four Winona Christian School girls take the MAIS 4A #1 and #2 girls doubles state championship in tennis on April 30th at the Ridgeland Tennis Center.
Seniors, Terri Clair Cain and Makayla McDaniel won the championship two years in a row for the Winona Christian School Stars. Seventh grader, Gowan Cain and Aubry Ingold, eighth grader, also won the state championship in the #2 girls doubles for the Stars.
Both pairs finished the regular season undefeated before heading into the district tournament at Winston Academy. They both remained undefeated in the district and won the district as a team over Oak Hill, Canton, and Winston Academy.
Terri Clair and Makayla won two matches at North State in Clarksdale before defeating a tough Washington School in the finals to take the North State 4A Champion title. This win in Clarksdale was the pair’s first North State title to hold.
Gowan and Aubrey toughed it out to get two wins to make it to the finals at North State only to be upset by the tough Washington School. Securing the 2nd seed from North State for #2 girls doubles ensured that they would get to move on to the MAIS state tennis tournament in Ridgeland the following week.
At the 4A State Tournament in Ridgeland, Terri Clair and Makayla found themselves making it through to the finals only to have to face Washington School again. Terri Clair and Makayla pushed through and won their second straight girls #1 doubles state championship.
Gowan and Aubrey coming in the tournament as 2nd seed had a tough first match up that went into a tie breaker before securing the win to be able to go on to the finals. Again, they found themselves matched against Washington School in the championship. The pair lost their first set but came back strong in their 2nd with a win causing another tie breaker. Battling against the odds, the young pair found it in themselves to push through and secured their first 4A girls #2 doubles state title.
The Lady Stars anxiously awaited the point findings in hopes they would be the overall girls team state winner. The Lady Stars found themselves tied in total points with Manchester Academy for the state girl’s title which then was determined by number of sets played. With Gowan and Aubrey going into two tie breakers, it put the Lady Stars coming in runner up for a 2nd year in a row for the girl’s overall team state title.
Terri Clair and Makayla have both signed with Holmes Community College to continue their tennis and academic careers. Hopefully we will see more out of all four of these girls in the years to come.
The Stars were coached by the 2022 MAIS Tennis Coach of the Year, Dr. Finis Beauchamp. He has led the Stars to 11 MAIS State Championships.
