Shelby’s Carver, Mahek end season as OHSAA state tennis qualifiers

WOOSTER — The Shelby Whippets doubles team of Bella Carver and Annie Mahek concluded their season at the College of Wooster on Thursday. Despite losing their match against Grace Philip and Sophie Wu of Gahanna Columbus Academy with a score of 6-1, 6-1, their presence at the Division II state doubles tennis tournament is a source of pride.

High School Tennis: ‘I am very proud of us’: Shelby’s Carver, Mahek ready for OHSAA State Tennis Tournament

Carver and Mahek had a remarkable season, becoming the first Shelby state qualifiers since 2008 and the first doubles team in almost 30 years. Although they fell short of securing an All-Ohio spot by just one win, their achievement is unprecedented in Shelby’s tennis history.

Furthermore, Carver and Mahek are the first Shelby tennis players in 15 years to make it to the state tournament, following in the footsteps of Jordyn Parrigan in 2008. They earned first-team All-Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference recognition as singles competitors and secured the Division II sectional doubles championship. Their third-place finish in the Division II district is the best performance by a Shelby doubles team in three decades.

As juniors, Carver and Mahek have the opportunity to return next year and become the second-ever repeat state qualifiers in the program’s history.

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby’s Carver, Mahek end season as OHSAA state tennis qualifiers