Two tennis powers will collide in Cayce on Saturday as the Riverside girls meet Myrtle Beach for the Class 4A state championship.
The Lady Warriors dominated the Upper State Finals on Wednesday, cruising to a 6-0 victory over Catawba Ridge at home. The line scores were:
- Ella McGrath 6-0,6-0
- Sarah Brickey 6-0,6-3
- Valentina Maset 6-4,6-1
- Hope Fortson 6-1,6-1
- Harper Meloon 6-1,6-2
- No. 2 Doubles with Miriam Rieder & Eleanor McArthur 6-1,6-2
“I loved how the girls handled the pressure of the Upper State Finals,” Riverside head coach Erin Benfield said. “Every single player competed with strength and confidence against a solid team. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for our final home stretch.”
Riverside now turns its attention to Myrtle Beach, which defeated Lucy Beckham 5-0 in the Lower State Finals. The Seahawks, who have the third most state championships in South Carolina High School League history, are led by All-State senior Mary Hannah Morrison and avenged a pair of regular season losses to West Florence in the Lower State Semifinals in a thrilling 4-3 victory.
In what should be a closely-contested final, Benfield said the team’s preparation and focus has never been better.
“I am incredibly proud of these girls and how hard they’ve worked throughout the season,” she said. “Now they’re ready for the state finals.”
The Lady Warriors and Seahawks will begin at noon on Saturday at the Cayce Tennis Center.
