Newcomer Ariel Kelsick took the region and area by storm. The junior straight up dominated at 1-singles, not dropping a single set until the Elite 8 match, which marked her lone loss on the season. She earns BLITZ Player of the Year honors.
*Feature Photo by Austin Poffenberger*
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- 15-1 W-L Record (1st to break single-season wins record for TFS)
- 187-30 Games Won/Lost
- Only 2 sets lost all season (in Elite 8)
- 4 matches straight without losing a single game
- Region 8-A DI Player of the Year
The Region Player of the Year adds to her haul with the BLITZ Player of the Year. Kelsick went 15-1 overall at 1-singles, going at one point 4 straight matches without dropping a single game. She was 187-30 in total games, and dropped 2 sets all season (both in the Elite 8 loss). Her and teammate Jaeda-Lee Daniel-Joseph both eclipsed the school record for wins, with Daniel-Joseph finishing with 16 despite Kelsick topping the record first.
VOTING RESULTS
- Ariel Kelsick - 59 pts (8 1st-place votes)
- Jaeda-Lee Daniel-Joseph - 55.25 pts (6)
- Marlee Gaddis - 36 pts (2)
- Allana Jones/Ruby Richardson - 17 pts
- Ella Lincoln - 14 pts
- Cylee Whitfield - 8.25 pts
- Bella Luce - 6.5 pts
Voting included our 16-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts
Kelsick and teammate Jaeda-Lee Daniel-Joseph battled it out in the voting, and it was so close. Kelsick got the voter's edge likely due to her dominance at 1-singles. Kelsick had 8 1st-place votes and Daniel-Joseph had 6, with Marlee Gaddis taking a couple as well for Dawson County.
HISTORY OF TENNIS POY
- 2023 – Ariel Kelsick – Tallulah Falls JR #1 Singles
- 2022 – Carson Hobbs – Commerce SR #3 Singles
- 2021 – Chloe Smith – Banks County SR #1 Singles
- 2020 – Chloe Smith – Banks County JR #1 Singles
- 2019 – Ginevra Gradassi – Jefferson SR #1 Singles
- 2018 – Chloe Smith – Banks County FR #1 Singles
- 2017 – Hallie Reeves – Rabun County SR #1 Singles
- 2016 – Savanna Scott – Rabun County JR #2 Singles
- 2015 – Savanna Scott – Rabun County SO #2 Singles
- 2014 – Brittany Stewart – Lumpkin County SR #1 Singles
- 2013 – Brittany Stewart – Lumpkin County JR #1 Singles
- 2012 – Kayla Olin/Eryn Cochran – Towns County JR/SO #1 Doubles
- 2011 – Ginny Rhoades – Towns County SR #2 Singles
- 2010 – Abby Brown/Claire Stovall – Habersham Central SR #1 Doubles
Ariel Kelsick is the first from Tallulah Falls to win the award, and the first junior since 2020. She's got a chance to become the fourth player to win it back-to-back if she can do it again next season. Kelsick is the 8th 1-singles player to claim the honors.
WHO WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR?
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