On an afternoon in which Signal Mountain dominated the individual brackets of the Class Small Region 3 tennis tournament at the Champions Club, Sunshine Finnell was able to carve out her own space.
The Arts & Sciences freshman claimed the girls’ singles title Monday, defeating Signal Mountain’s Mary Elizabeth Wakim in straight sets to advance to next week’s state tournament in Mufreesboro.
Signal Mountain dominated otherwise, taking titles in boys’ singles and both doubles brackets. The Eagles and Lady Eagles had 11 of the 12 players in the finals.
Finnell dropped the first game of the final but won the next six to take the first set 6-1. She led 4-1 in the second, but Wakim won the next three games to even the set – causing Finnell’s nervous father Earl to get up from his spot right next to the courts and move to a bench about 15 feet away.
He was calmed some when his daughter won the next game, then much more relaxed once she took the next game and the match.