News Post
Tennis Team Wins Sixth Consecutive State Title
The St. Joseph’s Academy tennis team is the winner of a sixth consecutive state championship.
Ryland Stafford and Harper Brown-Rachleff won the doubles championship to lead the Redstickers to victory in the 2026 LHSAA Division I State Tennis Championship, held April 30-May 1 at Forsythe Park in Monroe.
SJA scored 13.5 points, while runners-up Mount Carmel and Barbe scored 8.5 points each.
Lily Guillot and Sophie Bourgeois made the doubles semifinal round; Kate McCann and Lucy Jimenez reached the doubles quarterfinals; Aubrey Geier made the singles quarterfinals; and Louise Laville advanced to the second round.
“This year’s championship was a true team effort that took every player, parent and coach to pull off,” said head coach Jonathan Howard. “The Stickers proved they were not just the best team, but the most competitive. They made The Academy proud.”
Howard said last year's team set a state championship points record with 21.5. That team lost to graduation the singles and doubles champions and two captains to advanced to the doubles finals. This year, the team relied heavily on sophomores, none of whom played on last year's state roster. He also had high praise for his state champion doubles team of Brown-Rachleff and Stafford, both of whom are juniors.
“Sophomores, juniors and seniors all had a hand in us winning our sixth title, and make no mistake: This team had to grow a lot to put themselves in position to win this season,” Howard said. “There was a lot of pressure on this team to continue this magical run, and they stepped up to the challenge and handled it beautifully.”
Brown-Rachleff said bringing home the state title was truly meaningful. “I saw all of the team work so hard throughout the season, and to see all that hard work pay off when it mattered most makes me so incredibly proud,” she said. “Winning the doubles championship with the same person I have been playing tennis with since I was 5 years old makes it so special.”
Laville said the team stepped up throughout the season and supported one another until the last point. “I am so grateful to have such an amazing, hardworking and uplifting team,” she said. “We couldn't have won state without each and everyone's hard work and support.”
McCann said she was nervous heading into the championship tournament. Last year’s state championship team lost a good deal of talent to graduation, and half of this year’s lineup was comprised of sophomores. “I was nervous about the lack of experience on the team,” she said. “However, these sophomores put in hours and hours of work and stepped up in every way we needed them. Watching the entire team notice it was going to be tough yet push themselves every single day to get better was truly fulfilling. It was very rewarding watching everything we have worked for all year pay off. There is so much confidence and resilience on this team, and I know the future of SJA tennis is very bright. I have no doubt our streak will continue for years to come.”