Prep tennis: Gulf Coast girls win first-ever state title in Class 3A over Chiles

For the first time in Gulf Coast High School history, a Sharks girls team has won a state championship.

The Sharks girls tennis team edged Tallahassee-Chiles 4-3 in the Class 3A team finals on Tuesday at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs to send longtime school athletic director Jose Aria out a winner.

Arias is retiring at the end of the school year and Sharks coach Mark Voorhees couldn’t think of a better parting present.

“Jose has been a great AD for us,” Voorhees said. “We wanted to give him a little gift.”

Prep tennis: Gulf Coast girls advance to 3A state semifinals

It was a dramatic ending for the Sharks, who made it to the semifinals last year.

In the team format, there are five singles matches and two doubles matches. The first team to four wins would earn the team title.

The contest was tied at 3-3 with freshman Shale Bouchard up a set against Chiles’ Gracie Wilson, who was up two games in the second set.

“I knew the team match was tied and I had to come through for our team,” Bouchard said. “I knew I had to close her out.”

And close Wilson out Bouchard did in stunning fashion. Bouchard won six straight games, the winning point coming on a volley winner.

“I couldn’t believe what happened,” Bouchard said. “It didn’t really hit me that we won the state championship until I was at the bottom of the dogpile.”

After teaming to win the No. 1 doubles match to start the finals, Laas and Heiderscheidt each won their singles matches to put the Sharks one match away from victory. However, Chiles won No. 2 doubles, and Ana Vinson and Estella Waczinski beat the Sharks’ QiQi Anderson and Emma Schilling in Nos. 4 and 5 singles, respectively, to tie the match.

“Shale was battling for every point,” Heiderscheidt said. “So was the Chiles girl. It was nerve-wracking.”

“It was our chemistry that brought us together,” said Laas, a junior. “It’s unbelievably amazing to be state champs.”

Prep tennis: Gulf Coast girls lead area into state tournament

Voorhees was philosophical in victory.

“This is why every coach coaches,” he said. “Chiles is an amazing team. I’m so proud of our girls. The Fort Myers High boys team was out there cheering for us, too. Kudos to them. All our girls worked so hard.”

The Sharks defeated Miami-Doral 4-2 in the semifinal round with Laas, Heiderscheidt and Bouchard all winning in singles, and Laas and Heiderscheidt pairing to win in No. 1 doubles.

David Vilys almost made it two titles for the Sharks on Tuesday.

The junior won his semifinal match in the morning, but ran into a buzzsaw in the final against Boca Raton-Olympic Heights’ William Howells, the tournament’s No.1 seed.

Gulf Coast athletic director Jose Arias to retire at end of school year

Howells, a senior who will attend Notre Dame in the fall on scholarship, dispatched Vilys, the No. 2 seed, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

“I’m very proud to have represented our district so well,” Vilys said. “I know William from USTA tournaments around the state. He showed why he’s the top player in the state. I played a very strong player today and had to fight for every point.”

Earlier, in the semis, Vilys defeated Melbourne-Viera’s Gabe Diaz, 6-1, 6-1.

Also in 3A, the Naples High doubles team of Robby Mayher and Michael Moll lost 6-3, 6-3 to Tom Jaworski and Ed Lucas of North Miami-Alonzo Mourning in a semifinal match.

On late Monday in 1A action, Community School of Naples doubles team of Sebastian Dounchis and Matt Ferrante bowed out in the semifinals to Fort Lauderdale-Calvary Christian 6-0, 6-1.

The Community School boys team went undefeated at 14-0 in the regular season and will have all of its top six players back next season.