Riverwood ends playoff hosting drought with opening round win over Lee County
The Georgia High School Association tennis state championship tournament began on Monday and for the Riverwood Raiders, the last time they hosted an opening round match was in 2019. Fast forward to Monday and the Raiders boys team was back in action on their home courts hosting the Lee County Trojans in the first round of the GHSA 6A tournament and doing so on their brand new courts.
"It's good. It's nice to be at home, it's nice to play at home and we just came out and did our thing," Riverwood head coach Michelle Finley said after the Raiders quickly advanced to the second round of the tournament thanks to wins by Singles Two featuring Taichi Shimuzu, Singles Three with Issei Shimuzu and Doubles one featuring the duo of Mason Goldberg and Harrison Payne. The 3-0 victory over the Trojans came in about 45 minutes and Finley gave all credit to her players. "I think it was attribute to them.
They were real pumped up this morning and they put in a lot of work. They all found each other this weekend and played together this weekend and they were ready and they were hungry. Five years is a while," Finley said, noting that the last time the Raiders hosted a state championship tournament match, each member of the team was in middle school.
Now with their focus on round two of the playoffs, the Raiders will get set to face the winner of the Woodward Academy, Grovetown matchup, however, which every opponent is next, Finley said her players simply need to concentrate on who they are. "Be us. You have to prepare for your game. We can't control what anybody else does so keep it in our own mind space and just get right," Finley said.
The Raiders second round tournament matchup will be played at a date and time yet to be determined.
