Pahrump Valley’s Chanel Anthony earns third at state tennis tournament

Chanel Anthony had about two hours to put a semifinal loss behind her and find a better ending to her high school tennis career.

She did it in straight sets.

The Pahrump Valley senior returned to the court Saturday at Carson High School and won the third-place match in straight sets, closing her second consecutive state tournament appearance with a victory and a medal.

Anthony and junior Jace Eichner represented the Trojans at the Class 3A state singles tournament Oct. 23-24 in Carson City. Eichner’s tournament ended in the quarterfinals, while Anthony advanced through the opening round before losing her semifinal in straight sets Saturday morning.

Dela Rosa called Anthony’s response “admirable,” saying she did not let the morning defeat keep her from playing her best in the consolation match.

The result capped a season in which the girls’ captain finished second in the Southern Region before earning her place among the state’s top three singles players.

Anthony’s path to that finish began well before high school, although it was not a continuous one. She learned tennis as a child, stepped away from the sport and returned when she joined the Trojans as a sophomore, Dela Rosa said.

Three high school seasons later, she finished her senior year with a win on the state tournament’s final day.

Goal met

For Eichner, reaching Carson City fulfilled a goal he had set before the season, even though his state run ended in the opening round.

The boys’ captain was making his second state appearance, following a trip in doubles as a freshman. This time, he qualified in singles while also working through an earlier injury unrelated to tennis, according to Dela Rosa.

The coach credited Eichner’s perseverance and focus, along with his adjustment to competing without a doubles partner.

“He played singles this time instead of doubles so his play had to adjust for the whole single’s court and not rely on a partner,” Dela Rosa said.

Eichner secured his state berth with a three-set regional quarterfinal victory over Adelson’s Eli Grinvald. After losing the second set, he recovered to win the third 6-2 and complete a match he estimated lasted about two-and-a-half hours.

In a message before state, Eichner described reaching a 5-2 lead in the deciding set with renewed energy.

“I had already mentally decided I was going to state because it was one of my goals this year,” he said.

He finished fourth in the Southern Region to earn the trip north.

Police perk

Before the competition came a hometown send-off.

Nye County Sheriff’s Office deputies and auxiliary units escorted the players from Pahrump Valley High School along Highway 160 to about Roadrunner Road on Thursday, Oct. 22, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Joe McGill said the agency traditionally escorts high school teams headed to state championships as a show of support.

This season, two captains reached the individual tournament. Eichner accomplished his preseason goal, and Anthony came home with a third-place medal after making sure her semifinal loss was not her final result.

Contact sports reporter Bill Evans at wevans@pvtimes.com.