The undefeated Mathews High School girls’ tennis team captured the Region 1A East title last week with a pair of victories on the Lady Devils’ home court against Rappahannock and Northampton.

With the wins, the girls advance to the first round of the VHSL 1A state championship, which will be held at Mathews High School on either Monday or Tuesday. The championship match will be held next Saturday, June 11, at Radford University.

The Devils ended the regular season with a 13-0 record, making them the top seed in the region and giving them the right to host. Last Wednesday, Mathews defeated the visiting Rappahannock Raiders, 5-1. The Lady Devils’ #1 and #2 singles players Morgan Johnson and Ashley Hudgins, respectively, had little trouble with their Raider opponents; Johnson beat Connor Pemberton, 6-2, 6-1, while Hudgins won, 6-1, 6-1 over Katelin Brann. The only loss for Mathews came at third-seed singles, as Rachel Stewart, had a very tough, long match against Carli...