In a dramatic finish to a stellar four-year high school tennis career, Philomath’s Adele Beckstead went out as a winner.
But it wasn’t easy.
Facing St. Mary’s-Medford sophomore Carys Chamberland in the third-place match Saturday of the 4A/3A/2A/1A championships at the Oregon State University Tennis Complex, Beckstead dropped the opening set before bouncing back to dominate the second set. In the third, Chamberland had chances to close it out.
“She had a few match points in the tiebreak in the third set but somehow I pulled it out,” Beckstead said about the 4-6, 6-0, 11-9 win. “That was a super good match.”
Performing at a high level on the state tournament stage can rattle the nerves. Beckstead knew she had to maintain focus with her back to the wall.
“I was just trusting in my shots and just trying to stay mentally tough out there,”she said.
Beckstead’s appearance at state this season was her best in four years of qualifying. As a freshman, she was the consolation champion with a run of three straight wins after losing in the first round to an Oregon Episcopal senior. In her sophomore year, Beckstead had a tough draw and lost to the eventual state champion in the first round before winning one of two consolation matches.
Last year as a junior, Beckstead got a first-round bye but lost in the second round to again head to the consolation bracket. She reached the consolation finals but fell to an opponent from Valley Catholic.
In this year’s tournament, she got a bye past the first round and then defeated Baker sophomore Elizabeth Timm in the second round, 6-1, 6-4. That put her in a quarterfinals match against Crook County senior Sami Ramos, who was seeded fourth for the tournament. Beckstead posted a 6-4, 6-4 win.
In the semifinals, Beckstead had to go up against North Bend junior Raegan Farm — the type of opponent that plays on another level. Farm posted a 6-0, 6-0 win and went on to win the state finals with a victory over Marist Catholic sophomore Whitney Hedden.
Meanwhile, Beckstead dropped into the third-place match against Chamberland, who had also lost in the semifinals, 6-0, 6-0.
“Everyone there is so tough,” Beckstead said about the state tournament. “But it was super cool to be able to compete with everyone and play hard.”
Beckstead, who was the lone PHS qualifier, finishes the season with a 16-4 record. Through four years, she compiled a 78-12 record.
A two-sport athlete in the spring, Beckstead also competed Friday and Saturday at the Oregon West Conference Championships in track and field. Beckstead qualified for state as part of the 4-by-400-meter relay and individually in the 3,000 and 1,500.
Said Beckstead, “It’s a great finish to high school.”