by Cliff Mehrtens

HUNTERSVILLE – Lake Norman Charter’s Hannah Archer won a tennis state championship by defeating a familiar face.



Archer, a 14-year-old freshman, won the N.C. 1A title with a 6-0, 6-4 victory against Mount Airy High’s Jordan Jackson Oct. 27 at Cary Tennis Center.

It was the third time in eight days Archer had beaten Jackson, a senior who was the defending state champion. Archer won 6-3, 6-2 in the 1A West regional final on Oct. 20, then beat Jackson 6-2, 6-1 when Lake Norman Charter lost to Mount Airy in the second round of the dual-team playoffs Oct. 23.

“It was really a big experience for me because it’s the first time I’ve done something this big,” Archer said. “Getting there and playing well was amazing. It was a really tough final. Each time I played Jordan, she got better and matches went longer. In the final, I relaxed and focused. I just told myself to relax, move my feet and hit the ball. I wanted to be
aggressive.”

Archer improved her singles record to 17-3. At the state tournament, she won three of six sets at love and lost only seven games in six sets.

Archer beat Emily Daniel (Spring Creek High) 6-0, 6-0 in the first round and Kyndall Cortes (Raleigh Bishop McGuinness) 6-2, 6-1 in the semifinal.

“I was a little shocked at first (after the final),” Archer said. “Then it sunk in that I’d won. It was exciting.”