All-Examiner Tennis

Player of the Year

Drew Courtney

Robinson, sophomore

It was a dream season for Courtney and the Rams, who became the first boys tennis team from Northern Virginia to win a Group AAA state championship since Langley accomplished that feat in 1994. Robinson, which also won its second straight Northern Region title, cruised through the state tournament losing just two matches, both coming in a 5-2 victory over defending state champion Mills Godwin in the final. The 6-foot-3 Courtney, a two-time All-Examiner choice, finished 28-2. His only losses were to Chantilly All-Examiner senior Thomas Nolan, the defending state singles champ. But Courtney won the matches that mattered most, beating Nolan in the Concorde District, region and state singles finals. Courtney and senior teammate Mike Smith also won their second straight state doubles championship.

First team

Mike Smith

Robinson, senior

The Rams’ No. 2 the past two seasons, Smith was 21-1 as a senior and helped Robinson to Group AAA state and Northern Region team championships. He and All-Examiner teammate Drew Courtney also successfully defended their Northern Region and Group AAA state doubles title. Smith, twice an All-Examiner pick, will play tennis at James Madison.

David Caplan

Flint Hill, senior

The only senior on a team that captured its first Mid-Atlantic Conference team title and won the inaugural Virginia Independent School state championship by beating Episcopal, 5-4. Caplan, a two-time All-Examiner honoree who will play tennis at Emory & Henry, finished with a 40-3 career record. He was a two-time MAC singles champion. That event was rained out in both his freshman and senior years.

David Hannon

Episcopal, senior

One of six returning All-Examiner players, Hannon, a Gastonia, N.C. resident, was 17-2 and helped the Maroon reach Interstate Athletic Conference and Virginia Independent Schools state finals. Episcopal had a team record of 16-2, losing only to Bullis in the IAC final and Flint Hill in the VIS state championship. Hannon also reached the championship match of the prestigious Ben Johns Invitational.

Thomas Nolan

Chantilly, senior

The Boston College-bound Nolan finished 20-3 and was the Concorde District, Northern Region and Group AAA state singles runner-up to Robinson All-Examiner sophomore Drew Courtney. Nolan did beat Courtney twice during the regular season. The 2005 state champion was 22-0 as a junior when he earned Examiner Player of the Year honors. Also the region doubles runner-up with teammate Brian Chung.

Milo Barajas-Alexander

O’Connell, sophomore

Anchored a young O’Connell lineup at No. 1 singles and helped the Knights finish third in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament. Barajas-Alexander, the WCAC runner-up for the second straight year, was 15-4 with three of his losses to DeMatha sophomore Zach Nicholson, the WCAC No. 1 singles champion. A repeat All-Examiner selection.

SECOND TEAM

Arup Das

McLean, junior

Shyaam Karra

Madison, senior

Frank Huang

Lake Braddock, senior

Matt Feeley

Potomac School, sophomore

Will Pelak

Jefferson, junior

Zach Pine

Flint Hill, sophomore

Player of the Year

Kristi Kegerreis

Chantilly, senior

Another successful season for Kegerreis and the Chargers, who successfully defended their 2005 championships. Individually, Kegerreis finished 17-2, won her second consecutive Northern Region singles title and also won a Concorde District singles championship for the third straight season. She also helped the Chargers to a second straight region team tournament title, where Chantilly lost just three matches. The Chargers reached the Group AAA state semifinals before losing eventual state champion Cox. Kegerreis herself reached the state singles semifinals, falling to Deep Run’s Kristen Nimitz, the eventual champion. She and teammate Annie Holm were runners-up in both the district and region doubles tournament and qualified for the state doubles tournament. A two-time All-Examiner selection, Kegerreis will play tennis at Georgia Southern.

First team

Yilian Zhang

Westfield, freshman

Made an immediate impact in her first year on the Northern Region tennis scene. Zhang finished 11-5 at No. 1 singles for Westfield and advanced to the Group AAA state final before losing a tight 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 match to Deep Run’s Kristen Nimitz. Zhang was also the region and Concorde District runner-up to Chantilly All-Examiner senior Kristi Kegerreis. Zhang and Kegerreis split their two regular season meetings.

Erin Clark

Fairfax, senior

Nagging injuries hampered Clark all season. But Fairfax’s two-sport star -she also led the Rebels’ girls lacrosse team in scoring and was a second-team All-Examiner choice in that sport – was 8-4 at No. 1 singles against Concorde District competition. Clark did not compete in postseason play. She has earned an academic scholarship to Indiana and will play tennis for the Hoosiers.

Lindsey Hardenbergh

Robinson, sophomore

Battled an elbow injury throughout the season, but still managed to return to her form of 2005 when she and teammate Christine Tran won Northern Region and Group AAA state doubles titles. Hardenbergh, a two-time All-Examiner pick, and Tran again won region and state doubles championships and helped the Rams take second place in the Concorde District.

Christine Tran

Robinson, senior

Successfully defended her Northern Region and Group AAA state doubles championships with sophomore teammate Lindsey Hardenbergh. Tran, who again played at No. 2 singles throughout the season, helped Robinson reach the region team tournament semifinals, where it lost to Liberty District champion Jefferson, 5-2.

Leslie Hansen

Jefferson, senior

Helped Jefferson to the Northern Region team championship match and a Group AAA state tournament berth. Hansen, the Liberty District singles champion, was beaten in a tough match against Westfield All-Examiner freshman Yilian Zhang in the Northern Region singles quarterfinals, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

SECOND TEAM

Cece Greco

Battlefield, freshman

Michelle Nguyen

South County, freshman

Meghan Kennedy

Lake Braddock, senior

Haroula Foukara

Mount Vernon, senior

Linden Li

Langley, freshman

Annie Silverwood

T.C. Williams, senior

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