Perhaps few in the world of Group A girls tennis knew much about new kid on the block, East Rockingham, prior to the 2011 state tournament in Radford. But East Rock’s days of anonymity are over after defeating 7-time state champ, J.J. Kelly High School, 5-2 to claim the Single-A team state championship title and cap off a perfect 18-0 season.

(From left) Allison Michael, Sarah Cameron, Clara Churchill, Coach Alissa Michael, Kamilla Voznuk, Stacie Bailey, Grace Zaylor and Taylor Harris

“We’re excited,” head coach Alissa Michael told the Daily News-Record after her team’s victory. With her team comprised of players brand new to varsity tennis along with players from a successful Spotswood girls tennis program in Group AA, Michael wasn’t sure exactly what to expect as the season progressed. “We had no idea what Single-A tennis was like. We didn’t know what type of teams we were going to be faced with. We had really no clue.”

On the other hand, her team was a mystery to other schools around the state, as well. “No one’s ever heard of us since we’re a new school. We just worked hard and believed in ourselves.”

With that attitude, this group answered their own questions and likely those of everyone else, too, as they marched through the season to become the first team to deliver state championship hardware to its fledgling school’s trophy case.

ERHS #1 player, Allison Michael, added her own line to the Eagles’ record books with a perfect 24-0 season that culminated in a 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of Gate City’s Taylor Evans to claim the Group A singles championship. Michael, a junior, then teamed with sophomore Sarah Cameron to beat Bath County’s Amelia Walters and Jenny Gutting 6-1, 6-0 to secure the state doubles title. The Eagles’ top duo finished 25-0 on the season.

Cameron proved her strength as singles player, as well, as she dominated at the #3 position going 18-0. And freshman Stacie Bailey got her prep career off to a brilliant start at the #2 spot with an unblemished 18-0 season mark.

For ERHS, the future remains bright. The program returns its entire team for the upcoming 2012 season, so it abruptly sheds its rookie status only to assume the role as a clear favorite to repeat.