On Monday, Dec. 2, McLean’s newly formed pickleball club played the Oakton Cougars in the highly anticipated state final match at the newly established Pickleball Club of Tysons.
“I’ve really been looking forward to this match, we have worked so hard all season for this moment,” junior Katelyn Gray said. “We went to Raising Canes right before the match started, it’s our go-to pregame meal.”
Before the game, the McLean squad, all sporting their custom McLean Pickleball jerseys, huddled at center court for an inspiring speech from senior Vernon Ngo, captain of the team. “Who are we? McLean!” chants echoed throughout the building and startled Cougars, who knew this would be their hardest challenge yet.
The club, which originally started out as a simple idea from Ngo, a national pickleball champion, quickly evolved into one of the largest clubs at McLean after its founding in September. Spreading like wildfire, the club gained over 300 members in the first two weeks, with more than 20 FCPS schools following McLean’s model by creating their own pickleball clubs.
“I’m so grateful for Vernon creating this club,” sophomore Phineas Holmes said. “It has given me a great opportunity to play pickleball in a more competitive atmosphere.”
This rise led to the rapid creation and expansion of the FCPS Pickleball League, consisting of the best pickleball players throughout the county. Teams would play weekly matches throughout the regular season in hopes of clinching a spot in the league championship. The Highlanders’ performance was exceptional and their undefeated regular season eventually pitted them against the Cougars to contend for the state championship title.
As the chants quieted down and the crowd settled, Gray and sophomore Anna Polykoff kicked off the game for the Highlanders in the girls doubles match.
With their teammates cheering them on throughout the entire match, the dynamic duo coasted to a 15-8 set win, the smallest margin of victory by the Highlanders during the night.
Despite the Cougars putting up a fierce fight in the first set, they were outmatched and outplayed by the Highlanders for the rest of the match. The Highlanders pounced on the Cougars, with Ngo and senior Jonathan Truong winning their set in a near sweep with a score of 15-1. They were followed by seniors Aaron Chandler and Zach Speroni who won their set in landslide fashion to put the Highlanders up three sets to nil.
“We knew we had a great team coming into the season,” Chandler said. “The players knew we could make it far into the season and that motivated us to work hard.”
The Highlanders only needed two more sets to seal the state victory as the game shifted to mixed doubles. Gray and Truong returned to court for the first match, with Gray quickly taking command of the match and ending with a 15-4 set win. Now on the cusp of victory, Polykoff and Holmes stepped up when the lights were the brightest. Despite a rocky start, Polykoff and Holmes found their footing, propelling them to a 15-3 win and a state championship in the league’s inaugural season.
The club’s victory earned them a $1,200 dollar prize, which was awarded to both individual players and the club itself.
“I think everyone on the team is going to funnel their money back into the club,” Holmes said. “We really want to do everything in our power to keep the team as strong as possible.”
The club will now take a temporary hiatus while the FCPS Pickleball League prepares a potential spring season, where the Highlanders will have the opportunity to defend their state champion title and continue their domination on the court.
“For a lot of players, this was their first time playing, but the team still did really well and I couldn’t be more proud,” Ngo said. “They were very eager to learn the game and took in everything with so much heart.”
