Expectations were high for the McLean pickleball team, and those expectations were fulfilled in the team’s opening matches against Bishop O’Connell in the FCPS pickleball league.

McLean played a total of five matches against O’Connell. They started off with some bumps, but surged with strong wins from junior Katelyn Gray and sophomore Anna Polykoff.

“We didn’t start off great,” Gray said. “Then, we got it together and won 10 straight points, and we kind of just kept up that momentum as the game went on.”

Gray would also play a second match with sophomore Yilin Zhang, with a winning score of 21-4.

The boys teams also did well, with seniors Sam Rakowski and Peter Stoss winning two matches together, the first 21-13 and the second 21-15. The final match came down to two long-time pickleballers, U.S. Open Silver Medalist Vernon Ngo along with his doubles partner Aaron Chandler.

“We jumped out to an early lead,” Chandler said. “We had a bit of a point cushion when we came onto a bit of a downswing, but we built up a big lead, so it didn’t cost us.”

These wins were made possible by the robust nature of the team and their tryout process.

“[The dominance came from] the really rigorous tryout process,” Ngo said. “So, everyone here are the top [pickleballers] of McLean High School.”