Juliet Davis didn’t need much time to figure out how good her team was.

The first-year Catholic High head tennis coach, who is assisted by Boyd Snellgrove and Lyndsey Kelly, wasn’t all that familiar with the talent she had on the roster when she took over as head coach back in November. So she didn’t know just how talented her team was.

That all changed for the former CHS tennis star when she watched her team roll to a victory in the first match of the season against Episcopal School of Acadiana.

“I had no experience with the kids,” she said. “That first match we had of the season was against ESA. That was my first opportunity to see them on the court in a competition. Before that point we were just practicing, but I thought we had something special after that match.”

Neither the girls’ or boys’ teams would lose a regular season match this year and now the Panthers have a total of eight tennis players, double the number from 2017, competing at the Division III state championships at UL-Monroe today and Friday. 

For the girls’ team, seniors Lauren Mixon and Grace Snellgrove will be competing in the singles bracket, while Katie Russell and Emily Trapan will take part in the doubles. For the boys’ team, Jonah Dugas and Matthew Moore will be competing in singles while Jordan Ducote and Paul Macip will be in the doubles bracket.

Davis has been impressed with how her team has fought all season long. 

“They are fighters and play with heart,” said Davis, who recites quotes from tennis superstar Serena Williams to her team. “When we calculated everything at the end of the season we found out that we played, as team, 44 tiebreakers. That shows heart and fight. They do not give up until the bitter end. 

“It shows that they have taken what we have encouraged them to do and have implement it,” Davis added. 

The Panthers will look to finish the season by bringing home multiple state championships.

What have Davis and her staff been preaching to the Panthers this week?

“When you get to state you are playing a higher level of tennis so you have to step up your game,” Davis said. “But we just want them to go out there and play their best and have fun. That’s what we want them to do.”