Over three years of hard work paid off for Elena Williams last weekend when the Lafayette County senior claimed the MSHSAA Class One Girls’ Tennis Singles State Championship.

Head coach Jim Stoner says Williams’ two previous trips to Springfield for state only drove Williams to aim higher.

Williams overcame a 5-1 deficit in the opening round against Elizabeth Smith of Monett to even the set, only to fall 7-5. She rebounded to win the second set and the tiebreaker, then proceeded to overwhelm competitors from Hannibal and Carl Junction before avenging her district final loss to Zaylee Rose of Columbia Independent in the championship match, 6-3 6-0. Stoner says Williams’ work ethic has inspired students in his elementary school gym classes, as well as Williams’ peers.

Stoner also coaches the boys’ tennis program, which has also seen success at state in recent years.

Lafayette County Huskers tennis coach Jim Stoner also commended the pairing of Madison Cunningham and Emma Gillilan for winning the program’s first doubles match at state, when they defeated a duo from Saint Louis Notre Dame in the first consolation round last Thursday.