With a thrilling 3-2 win over North Hall on Tuesday afternoon, the Southeast Bulloch High School girls’ tennis team is headed to the GHSA Class 3A Final Four for the second consecutive year.
The Elite Eight matchup unfolded on SEB’s home courts in Brooklet, where fans gathered under sunny skies at 2 p.m. to support the Yellow Jackets. The momentum started strong for Southeast Bulloch with a swift win from the No. 2 doubles team. Laina Erickson and Addie Smith set the tone early with a dominant 6-0, 6-3 victory, putting SEBHS ahead 1-0.
North Hall struck back with wins at No. 3 singles and No. 2 singles, pushing the Yellow Jackets into a 2-1 deficit. But the first doubles team of Sydney Kate Aaron and Lydia Fowler stepped up under pressure, grinding out a clutch 6-2, 7-5 win to level the match at 2-2.
That left it all up to No. 1 singles player Rylee Veland. With the courts clearing and spectators from both teams surrounding her court, Veland edged out a tight first set 7-5. The energy surged with every point, and Veland rode the wave of support to dominate the second set 6-0 — securing the win for SEBHS and punching the team’s ticket to the state semifinals.
Southeast Bulloch will face their Final Four challenge at Berry College in Rome on Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. If victorious, the Yellow Jackets will play for the state championship later that afternoon.
