Smith and Denson received All-SAC tennis honors

ROCKINGHAM – The first athletic program to complete the fall 2024 season at Richmond Senior High School was the girls tennis team.

At the end of the campaign, two senior Lady Raider players were named to the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team.

Richmond was represented by senior Hanna Smith and junior Jentry Denson, both of whom received their first career postseason honors.

The full 17-player roster was announced by SAC President and Union Pines High School Athletic Director Dr. Chad Hill, released ahead of the conference tournament earlier this month.

Genesis Gonzalez of Southern Lee High School was named Player of the Year, while Gail Deese of Pinecrest High School was named Coach of the Year.

Pinecrest, which won the SAC title, had the conference’s top six players named. Second-place Union Pines High School was awarded four players, while third-place Southern Lee had a total of three members.

Hoke County and Scotland high schools each had one player named to the All-SAC team. Lee County High School did not field a team this year.

Richmond posted a 5-5 record in its 10 regular season games against SAC opponents this season.

“Hanna and Jentry are our two best players and truly earned their spot on the All-Conference team,” said head coach Jessica Covington. “Both are leaders of our team on and off the field and have given their best in every game this season.

“Over the last four years, Hanna has gone from being our No. 6 seed as a freshman to our No. 1 singles player as a senior. She has developed a lot in her game and has done a truly fantastic job of not only qualifying for regionals but also winning her first game. We will miss her.

“Jentry had another strong season as our No. 2 singles player,” Covington continued. “She has advanced to this new position and performed well against tougher competition. She will be back with us next season and I can’t wait to see how much better she gets.”

Hannah Smith

First career choice

Smith was a four-year starter for the Lady Raiders and finished her career by playing her final season as Richmond’s No. 1 singles player.

As Smith stepped into that role and faced the toughest competition in the SAC, he compiled an overall singles record of 4-6. She picked up two of those wins against Hoke County while also defeating her Scottish opponents twice.

Smith and Denson started the season as doubles partners in the No. 1 pairing. Together they compiled a 2-1 record, defeating Pinecrest and Hoke County.

Later, competing in doubles with sophomore Colbie Covington, Smith added four more doubles wins against Scotland, Southern Lee, Pinecrest and Hoke County.

At the SAC Championship Tournament, Smith placed second overall in 4A singles. That sealed her ticket to her first NCHSAA 4A Mideast regional tournament, where she went 1-1.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that I’ve made so much growth in the last few years since I started playing tennis,” Smith said. “I’m very proud of that and very proud to be able to represent Richmond on the all-conference team.

“I think putting in a lot of work in training and working with people over the summer has helped me be successful this season. And personally, I really wanted to make the most of my senior season, which I think my performance showed.

“Being a tennis player at Richmond for the past four years has taught me to take nothing for granted and to enjoy every moment of all the things you do in high school,” she added.

Jentry Denson

First career choice

Denson also moved up in the lineup this season, taking over Richmond’s role as No. 2 singles player in her third season as a varsity starter.

Similar to Smith, Denson faced a tougher opponent this fall. Denson made the transition smoothly, posting an overall record of 4-6. Two of Denson’s singles wins came against Hoke County, while she picked up victories in matches against Southern Lee and Scotland.

In addition to her two doubles wins at the top with Smith, Denson added three doubles wins in the No. 2 pairing. Working with senior teammate Madison Grimes, Denson scored two Ws against Scotland and another against Southern Lee.

Denson reached the second round of the SAC Championship Tournament but saw her bid for a Regionals appearance come to an end.

“Making All-Conference this season is a huge accomplishment for me,” Denson said. “It shows my hard work, dedication and the support I received from my teammates and coach. This motivates me to keep working and improve my game for next season

“The transition to the two seeded teams was both exciting and challenging. I had to adapt and change my game to cope with tougher competition, which helped me develop a stronger mental game and improve my consistency. I focused on improving my skills and learning something from every game, which contributed to my development as a player

“Looking ahead to next season, I hope to continue to improve my technical skills and mental strength,” concluded Denson. “I plan to work on my fitness and strategic play in the off-season. My goal is to contribute even more to the team’s success by taking on a leadership role, because as one of the few returning top six players, I want to help everyone succeed.”