MIDLAND — A pair of high school tennis coaches who have coached in the state for more than 50 years had reason to be thrilled after the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Girls Tennis Finals on Thursday. 

First, there was Ann Arbor Greenhills’ Mark Randolph, who capped off his 55th overall season in coaching by helping guide his team to its fifth-straight championship.

The Gryphons easily topped the field finishing with 35 points, 11 ahead of runner-up Grand Rapids Catholic Central, to possibly make Randolph rest a little easier after he said sleep was harder to come by recently.

“I’m in a perpetual state of holistic anxiety,” Randolph said. “I’ve not slept well in the last month thinking about all the things that could happen.”

After a decorated senior class graduated last year, this spring represented a unique challenge for Randolph trying get all the pieces to fit. 

Greenhills had a sophomore at No. 2 singles, an all-freshman team at No. 3 doubles, and freshmen at both No. 3 and No. 4 singles. 

“We had six, maybe seven kids who were new to the varsity lineup,” Randolph said. “So of course, we had to try and teach them how to compete, and they did great.”

One of those freshmen, Jahan Soofi, earned the title at No. 4 singles while another, Faith Miller, advanced to the championship match at No. 3 singles before falling in three games to fellow freshman Naomi Tamae of Grand Rapids Catholic Central. 

Greenhills also got flight championships from the senior team of Danica Rakic-Dennis and Lauren Ye at No. 1 doubles, the duo of Anye He and Alice Zhu at No. 3 doubles and the tandem of Aoife Tang and Linnea Bengtson at No. 4 doubles. 

“Aoife Tang is a senior who won at No. 4 doubles as a freshman,” Randolph said. “Because of that strong (senior) class, she has been out of the lineup. She got back into it this year and won No. 4 doubles with a sophomore partner.”

Greenhills also had finalists at No. 2 singles and No. 2 doubles. 

In addition to Randolph, another longtime coach had reason to rejoice. 

Catholic Central’s Pat Williams has presided over the girls tennis program since it began in 1974, and Thursday’s result represented the best her program has finished. 

For the first time, Williams got to take a trophy back to the school by placing runner-up.

“We’re all very excited,” Williams said. “I’ve been coaching 52 years with this team, and this is the best we’ve ever done.”

Even better for Williams is the future is bright as the team hopes to contend for a first Finals title in the near future. 

Catholic Central will return its top three singles players next year in junior Colleen Kirk, junior Claire Kaufman and Tamae. 

“It’s a good core,” Williams said. 

The No. 1 singles title was claimed by Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett sophomore Sonya Jayakar, who was a quarterfinalist last year. 

Jayakar earned a 6-4, 6-2 win in the championship match over Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Kennedy Price, who in the semifinals beat No. 1 seed Nina Malani of Greenhills, 6-3, 6-4. 

Jayakar started her season with two losses, but didn’t lose again. 

“I really spent my whole summer and winter training for this,” Jayakar said. “I worked as hard as I could every single day just to get to this point. It really pushed me to win this year. 

Other flight winners were Mary-Kate Ansley of Traverse City St. Francis at No. 2 singles and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep’s team of Vanessa Artinian and Regina Carpenese at No. 2 doubles. 

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(Photos by High School Sports Scene.)