Ken Stange imparts wisdom to Amanda d’Almeida. (Dan d’Almeida photos)
Friendly rivals Hayley Newman (left) and d’Almeida.
Seniors Emily Gallahar (left) and Holly Craggs closed their careers as friends and supportive teammates.
“I’m trapped in a chain-link fence of emotion!!”
Tennis is not even her main sport.
A soccer player who dabbled in the net arts, Amanda d’Almeida put together one of the best runs any Coupeville High School racket queen ever compiled over the last four years, putting a definitive stamp on her extraordinary career Saturday.
A three-time district champ in doubles, d’Almeida went out as a singles player, winning three of five matches over two days of play and coming within a handful of points of advancing to tri-districts.
And while she ultimately couldn’t get past the dynasty of Whidbey tennis — taking her only losses to Hayley and Carlie Newman of South Whidbey — d’Almeida left a lasting impression on her coach, even if, by the end, he was flying high on 40 hours with no sleep thanks to various school duties.
“It was yet another good year for Amanda,” said Wolf coach Ken Stange. “There was no fourth district title, but she is playing excellent tennis. I would take her as a doubles partner!”
While the rest of Coupeville’s netters took the two matches and pack your bags route at an extremely deep district tourney led by South Whidbey and Blaine, d’Almedia decided to hang around for a bit.
Two wins in three matches Thursday earned her a call-back on Saturday, when the action shifted from Langley to Skagit Valley College. Her only loss in the first day came to an undefeated Hayley Newman, and was one of the more intense battles the Falcon net ace has seen this season.
“That semifinal match was outstanding,” Stange said. “Amanda played some of her best tennis against Hayley. Hayley is good. I bet she qualifies for state in a difficult tri-district singles tourney.”
Once she got to Mount Vernon Saturday, d’Almeida found herself locked in an epic struggle of wills against Saskia Dolk of Blaine, whom she had lost to earlier in the season. With Dolk a game away from losing, the Borderite abruptly switched gears, throwing lob after lob at her foe, forcing d’Almeida into an epic waiting game.
“This was perhaps Amanda’s best win of the season,” Stange said. “She also found a way to win when her opponent changed strategies. She played each shot like it was a move in a game of chess.”
Perhaps a bit tired after the two-hour match, she then had to quickly rebound against Carlie Newman, whose only losses this season have been to her big sis. After losing the first set to the well-rested Falcon, d’Almeida stormed back to force a second-set tiebreak, briefly raising hopes of a third set.
It wasn’t to be, however, and the proud warrior and her sleep-deprived coach departed the court together for the final time as pupil and guru.
Complete 1A District 1 tournament results:
Singles:
Amanda d’Almeida beat Berry (Blaine) 6-4, 6-1
d’Almeida lost to Hayley Newman (South Whidbey) 6-3, 6-3
d’Almeida beat Abbi Steele (Nooksack Valley) 6-1, 6-0
d’Almedia beat Saskia Dolk (Blaine) 6-1, 7-6(7-4)
d’Almeida lost to Carlie Newman (South Whidbey) 6-1, 7-6(7-3)
Iris Ryckaert lost to C. Newman (South Whidbey) 6-1, 6-0
Ryckaert lost to Steele (Nooksack Valley) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Doubles:
Holly Craggs/Emily Gallahar lost to Allison/Roth-Lerner (Blaine) 6-0, 6-3
Craggs/Gallahar lost to Anderson/Timmins (Friday Harbor) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
Samantha Martin/Sydney Autio lost to Grayston/Hederson (Blaine) 6-0, 6-0
Martin/Autio lost to Marinkovich/Bormann (Friday Harbor) 6-1, 6-0
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