MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Having just claimed the final point of the TSSAA Division II-AA team title match, Gabe Getz let out a loud “Let’s go!” before being mobbed by his McCallie teammates.
Moments later, the junior was crumbling to the tennis court, finally succumbing to the cramps (in both legs) that affected him in the third and final set against Memphis University School’s Justin Martin.
But at that point, the job was done. The Blue Tornado had been punched in the mouth early in the final by MUS, dropping the doubles point for the first time in “years,” McCallie coach Jeff Clark said later. Clark’s crew responded to the double setback by posting four singles victories to win 4-1 at the Adams Tennis Center and earn McCallie’s fourth consecutive state championship.
“That was probably the best match I ever played,” Getz said, sporting bright blond hair that he bleached Friday. “I had to fight for it when it started, it comes down to the line — that’s way more fun, way more exciting.
“We lost the doubles point, and for us, it was just a reset. We just knew we had to focus on singles and win all of them and we’ll be fine. That was all we focused on; there’s always pressure, so I think it made it a lot more exciting.”