The boys tennis team is the only sports team at Stratford with a state championship since moving to the Georgia High School Association three years ago. They captured the GHSA Class A Private State Title in 2015.

And they are hungry for another.

The team, better known by some as the “Teagles,” is one step away from another GHSA state championship. They have recently won three very hard-fought matches in the postseason. In fact, they have won all of their matches this season with an impressive undefeated record of 21-0.

The team consists of three singles players (Mark Barrow, Samuel Barrow, and Daniel Cohen), along with two teams of doubles players David Grant and Greg Sutton and Carter Eddlemon and Akshay Ranabhotu).

Last Tuesday, in the first round of state, the Teagles took on the Weber School of Atlanta. Stratford clinched the victory when two singles and a doubles team won. However, the remaining singles and doubles match was well on their way to winning as well when the matches were stopped.

On Friday, in the quarterfinals,  the tennis team fought hard against the Walker School of Marietta. This team is somewhat of a rival for the Teagles, as they have played them in the past three years in the state tournament. One doubles took a loss, however Mark Barrow, Samuel Barrow and Daniel Cohen all  clinched their match and a trip to the Final Four for the Teagles.

These matches set up for the semifinals of state which took place Saturday morning against Atlanta International School (AIS). The Teagles knew they were going up against an extremely tough team, with nationally-ranked  players as AIS is the No. 1 seed from the Atlanta area.

The Teagles once again took care of business on the court. Both doubles matches finished in no time. Carter Eddlemon and Akshay Ranabhotu won by a striking 6-0, 6-1.  Greg Sutton and David Grant won by another impressive score of 6-1, 6-0.

All the Teagles needed was one more singles victory for a spot in the finals. After a very hard fought match, Daniel Cohen came out on top at No. 3 singles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

The clinch earns Stratford tennis a spot in the finals which takes place Saturday, May 6 at 9 a.m.   at the Clayton County Tennis Center.

They will play the winner of the Monday’s Athens Academy/Mount Paran semi-finals match.