Chloe Yount and J.H. Rose Tennis Enter East Regional Tournament
Chloe Yount enters the East Regional girls tennis tournament on Oct. 17, anchoring the J.H. Rose High School lineup as the No. 1 singles player following a 10-1 regular season.
Chasing the State Championship After a 10-1 Regular Season
J.H. Rose swept through most of its regular season schedule with lopsided victories, but the competition shifts drastically as the postseason arrives. Yount spent the last calendar year preparing for this exact stretch, logging hours of practice across serves, volleys, and baseline rallies. Coach Marvin Hardy, a 23-year program mainstay, noted that he challenged Yount in the preseason to set her sights beyond regional success. Yount needs a win or a runner-up finish at the East Regional tournament starting Oct. 17 to advance to the state tournament, which begins Oct. 23. Yount won the regional tournament last year but was eliminated in the opening round of the state bracket.
Tough Matches Build Resilience for State Competition
The senior singles player faced tight tests this fall against top competitors from New Hanover, New Bern, and D.H. Conley. Matches against players like New Bern freshman Moi Lavigne and a comeback tiebreaker win against Conley No. 1 Nandana Balaji provided the kind of high-stakes pressure Yount expects to encounter at states. According to Brad Yount, his daughter’s match against Balaji revealed a new level of resilience after dropping the first set. She kind of showed me a side of her play I’ve never seen before,
he said. Despite the support of her coaches and teammates, Yount admits to placing heavy self-imposed pressure on her shoulders as the team’s top player.
Looking Ahead to Academic Goals and Club Tennis
As her high school career nears its final stretch, Yount acknowledges the bittersweet nature of reaching her senior season, following the path her older sister Edie took before her. I’m reminding myself all the time,
she noted regarding her year-round focus. Coach Marvin Hardy has also provided vital motivation through his wisdom in knowing which buttons to push for different players. Beyond the state tournament bracket, her immediate focus turns toward higher education. Yount stated her goal to attend UNC and secure a spot on the school’s club tennis team. UNC has always been my dream, so if I had the opportunity to go to school there and play on their club team, that would be a dream for me,
she said, adding, I said that would never be me, but here we are.