Team Details

Two More Wins: Boys and Girls Notch MS Tennis Victories

The boys’ and girls’ middle school tennis squads from Fellowship Christian School both extended win streaks with victories on Nov. 20.

At Fowler Park in Cumming, the Paladins defeated King’s Ridge Christian School, 3-2, and the Lady Paladins downed the Lady Tigers, 4-1, to wrap up the regular season.

The girls have now won seven straight victories, while the boys have won three in-a-row.

The matches were the final of three straight over a three-day span.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these girls and how far they’ve come as individual tennis players, but also as a team,” girls head coach Jessica Cheely said. “The enthusiasm that they have for the game and for each other is what has brought us this far. We have learned to practice with purpose, how to mentally engage and most importantly, how to learn from every match regardless of the outcome. We’ve pushed each other to work harder and become better. Now we can celebrate with a record that has earned a spot in the Metro 10 playoffs.”

Eighth-graders Camryn Crawford and Emi Cox, who are all smiles after winning both their singles matches, are pictured above.

The Paladins are on their own roll.

“The growth, the toughness, and the confidence they’re showing each match is just unbelievable,” boys head coach Elizabeth Miller said. “Watching them come together, compete, and believe in themselves has been one of the absolute highlights of this season!

“A massive shoutout to Jackson Arpey, who came out tonight and played the best tennis we’ve seen from him all year. He was smart, composed, and intentional with every shot — placing the ball beautifully, moving his opponent, and staying locked in from start to finish. What a huge win for him and a huge point for our team! So proud of the way he stepped up. Luke Chapman and JB Patrick were both rock solid on their singles lines, bringing home two strong, confident wins. They played steady, consistent tennis and really set the tone for the team with their focus and determination. Incredible job from both of them.”

Paladins pictured above are Brady Burns, Andrew Lewis, Jackson Arpey, George Bean, JB Patrick and Luke Chapman.

The girls improved to 7-4 overall, and the boys are now 4-7.

(Photos by Jessica Cheely and Elizabeth Miller)

Paladins Beat Cornerstone on Road to Notch Second Win In-a-Row

The boys’ tennis team from Fellowship Christian School was victorious on the road on Nov. 19.

At Jones Bridge Swim & Tennis Club, the Paladins posted a 3-2 victory. It was the second win in-a-row for the boys.

“What an electric day of tennis out there,” head coach Elizabeth Miller said. “So incredibly proud of every single one of these boys today. The effort, the fight, and the team spirit were amazing.

“A massive shoutout to JB Patrick, who battled through one of the most exciting, high-level matches we’ve seen this season. The grit, the composure, and the sheer determination it took to close out that 9-7 victory was incredible! He dug deep, stayed locked in, and found a way to come out on top – just an awesome performance. Luke Chapman also lit it up on line 1 singles, playing confident, controlled, and powerful tennis from start to finish. He set the tone with a strong win and showed exactly why he’s such a force at the top of our lineup. And how about Duke Bitler and Pace Anderson. Those two came out firing on all cylinders in line one doubles with smart points, powerful strokes, and some seriously impressive teamwork. They held down that court and played some of the best doubles we’ve seen from them this season.”

It was the second match of a string of three matches in three days.

(Photo by Elizabeth Miller)