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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24,2004Michalak named Big Eight North Player of the YearAn additional superlative is attached to Andrea Michalak’s accomplishment of earning all-conference girls tennis acclaim for the third consecutive year.Michalak, a junior from Hunt High, has been named the 3-A Big Eight North Conference Player of the Year.Positioned at No. 1, she went undefeated against conference opposition in leading the Lady Warriors to a runner-up conference finish and into the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs.Fike repeated as conference champion as did itscoach, Lee P|j^j§||pj Matthews, asCoach of theLadyMottbewsYear.The GoldenDemons’ season ended with aloss in the thirdround of the playoffs to Charles B. Ay-cock, a team that twice defeated them during the regular season.Proclaimed All-Big Eight North from Fike were sophomore Sarah Farris at No. 1, junior Sarah Prince at No. 2,senior Kristia Cedeno at No.3, and senior Lara Coley atNo. 4.Joining Michalak from Hunt were senior Bethany Vaughn at No. 2, and senior Anne Huitt Davis at No. 3.Selected from Beddingfield were Wendy Letchworth at No. 1 and Danielle Narron at No. 2.Completing the all-conference unit are Amanda Keeny of Southern Nash and Corey Clark of Nash Central.“It’s really big, special,” Michalak said of her recognition. “Not too many people get Player of the Year.“It makes you feel really good about yourself, and itmakes you want to go out andplay more and practice.”Michalak posted a 17-3 overall record, reaching the 3-A East Regional semifinals and qualifying for 3-A state competition in singles.She considers herself a stronger cerebral player now.“I don’t feel like my physical game has improved that much since I was a freshman,” she said. “But 1 am sure I have mentally. And that’s what the game’s all about. I think I am more mentally ready to play.”Michalak is not certain whether she will pursue tennis at the college level, but emphasizes Player-of-the-Year status as a junior motivates her to repeat the feat as a senior.In doing so, she will have to contend with Charles B. Ay-cock’s Raychel Batts, who defeated her twice in the 2004 postseason. Hunt shifts into the same conference with CBA next season.“A challenge is good,” Michalak noted. “I will try to work out a lot this summer.”Her wins outnumber five times her seven career losses.Tom Ham Daily TimesHunt junior Andrea Michalak was named the conference player of the year, going undefeated in No. 1 singles in the Big Eight North.And Michalak has been turned back by only quality opponents — Batts and former Fike stars K.K Walston and Alii Benton.She considered her juniorseason “pretty successful.”“We had a new coach (Dianne Barnes) and we did a good job of sticking with her, and she did a good job sticking with us,” Michalak said. “I enjoyed the situation of playing for a new coach.”Michalak expressed her gratitude for the support she received from her coach, teammates, family and friends.However, her success won’tprevent her from keepingtennis in perspective.“I like to play because it’s fun,” Michalak said. “I like playing with the team. It’s a team sport, but you win or lose on your own. It makes you feel good to be able to help the team.”Matthews credited the help of his Fike team for his accolade. In his sixth season of coaching the girls team, Matthews was honored as conference Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.“This one is a little more special,” Matthews explained, “because we basically came into the season with people looking at us as being vulnerable and being ready to be knocked off.“This group of girls went out and decided they wanted it —• they wanted to be No. 1.”Thus, Fike rolled unbeaten in conference play and enters 2005 with a string of 52 conference wins. The Lady Demons finished 17-4 overall, losing thrice to CBA.Matthews suggested his role was more that of a psychologist than a coach.“This was hard-working group of girls,” he said. “I didn’t need to get them to work; pretty much my job was to find some chemistry for doubles and to keep them levelheaded.”
Newspaper Details
Wilson Daily News
Wilson, North Carolina, US
Fri, Dec 24, 2004
Page 10
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