Who says prep tennis is boring?

Boys and girls who skip high school tennis in order to concentrate more on their highly ranked individual games are missing out on a great opportunity. Even the High School League's new $5 admission fee for last weekend's state tennis championships in Lexington doesn't look so outrageous after the wild ride fans were treated to by the Wando-Mauldin girls final.

To anyone who cared whether Wando won or lost in its bid for a fifth straight Class AAAA state title, this was high excitement. Even the Wando players were almost out of breath after its conclusion, caught up in the excitement of having to save their dream.

A high school tennis match, SCHSL style, starts off with five singles that generally are played at the same time as No. 2 doubles. No-ad scoring is used and a match tiebreaker replaces the third set, with the first player or doubles team to reach 10 ahead by two winning.

Things can change quickly in team competition where four is the magic number. If that number isn't reached in the first six matches, No. 1 doubles determines the winner.

Unlike a basketball or football game where a big lead is just that, a team match can appear to be one-sided and almost over one minute (say 3-0) and be headed to overtime (No. 1 doubles) the next.

While most regular season SCHSL skirmishes are mismatches for teams the caliber of Wando, the thrill of getting to participate in a match such as the Wando-Mauldin state final would make the entire season worthwhile. Literally within moments, Wando rose from the ashes of possible defeat to a one-sided 5-1 winning margin.

Wando nursed only a 2-1 advantage when No. 2 doubles partners Kayla Heller and Alex Klein started a match tiebreaker. But within moments of their win, Lindsay Larkin completed a rally from 5-1 down in the second set for a straight-set victory at No. 3 singles for the team's decisive point. That result prompted Wando coach Becky Williamson to dash across the Lexington County Tennis Complex flashing a thumb's up and a big smile, and head to where No. 2 Corin Hallman was involved in a second-set tiebreaker. "We've got it," the veteran coach beamed. Hallman quickly completed her win and the rout that so easily could have gone the other way.

--The High School League's state singles tournament was cancelled Friday due to inclement weather and will not be rescheduled. North-South competition will be held next Friday and Saturday at Surfside Beach's Prestwick Club.

Sophie's club

Former Charleston pro Sophie Woorons-Johnston has built her own nine-court tennis club in Anderson. State club of the year Brookstone Meadows even includes a clubhouse that Dr. Sophie (she has a Ph.D.), husband Clemson associate athletic director for football operations Andy Johnston and their 1-year-old son Noah call home. They reside upstairs.

Woorons was a local favorite a few years ago when she won the city championship and worked with juniors at the I'On Club and MUSC complex. The former Clemson All-American is the state player of the year and will be honored at the state association's annual meeting Dec. 13 in Myrtle Beach.

Her new club came about after she started teaching tennis on what was then (2005) a two-court layout at Brookstone Meadows. "We added five clay, two hard courts and a clubhouse," said Woorons.

Notes of interest

--Pine Forest Country Club's Racquets for Recovery breast cancer tournament raised $26,500 for the Charleston area American Cancer Society.

--Wednesday is the deadline for entering Snee Farm County Club's Doubles Extravaganza Grand Prix tournament that starts Thursday. Signup is available online at sneefarmtennis.com.

--Charleston Tennis Center's annual Charleston Thanksgiving Junior Classic is scheduled for Nov. 28-30, with next Saturday as the entry deadline. Registration is available at www.sctennis.com, using tournament number 704139008. Contact Charleston Tennis Center (766-7401).

--Family Circle Tennis Center will hold the Adult Holiday Tennis Classic Dec. 5-7 with competition in rated catergories in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. The entry deadline is Dec. 3 at noon. Contact the Family Circle pro shop (849-5300).

Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com