Adding on to the state titles from the 2022-2023 school year, the men’s tennis team won their first state title in nearly 20 years, with the last time being in 2004. With high placings from Jaxson Ledwith, senior, and doubles partners, Cameron Paulsen, senior, and Rhyson Chiang, sophomore, the team was able to accumulate enough points to secure the state title on May 20.

On the women’s side, Megan DeVall and Katherine DeVall, seniors, as well as Sonya Drayton,  freshman, helped the women’s team finish fourth in state. Megan and Katherine came in third for women’s doubles. 

Paulsen has been on the tennis team all four years of high school and is committed to continuing his education and athletic career at Linfield University, alongside teammate Nick Owens, senior. Paulsen and his doubles teammate, Chiang, took home second place in the doubles championship. 

“[Chiang] and I communicated really well through the entire season,” Paulsen said. “On top of having good communication, he really helped me focus, especially during super important matches.” 

On top of earning the state title, the team finished undefeated in regular season and postseason play, and won the Three Rivers League (TRL). 

“We started out strong and took care of business,” Paulsen said. 

The men’s tennis team was able to qualify seven players for the state tournament. Usually, around four or five players qualify from each school. The more players there are advancing to the state tournament, the more potential a school has for points to add up. 

“I think we always knew advancing far in the state tournament was possible,” Paulsen said. “Once so many guys qualified, we got a much better feeling about what might happen.” 

Paulsen and Chiang finished in second place for the doubles tournament, and with help from other teammates, they came first in state. 

“It is super cool that I could be a part of a state championship,” Paulsen said.