After spending two years as an apprentice, Jenny Newman went to the state meet as the most experienced state tennis player on her team last weekend.

With partner Amy Vogt, Newman — who made her third appearance at the Yakima tournament in three years — placed sixth in the doubles competition for South Whidbey. The pairing also earned enough points for their placing to give the Falcons a seventh-place finish as a school.

That’s down a bit from last year’s state team championship, but not bad for season that started with almost no experienced varsity players.

Newman, who played at state the past two years with South Whidbey graduate Paige Oliver, has been near the top of the state standings as past tournaments. She and Oliver played teammates Jenny Saephan and Kylie Bozym for the state doubles championship in 2002. They lost the match and took second in state.

This year, Newman and Vogt were the only South Whidbey players to advance from district playoffs to the state meet, but they made the most of their appearance. Competing against teams from 20 schools, they finished the season as one of the best pairings for a 2A school.

“They played well and deserve congratulations,” said their coach, Tom Kramer.

The final match Newman and Vogt played, against Hoquiam, was disappointing as the Falcon duo had defeated them at the district finals the weekend before. After winning several matches in the consolation bracket to get to the fifth-sixth-place match, they were going for the best placing possible. But this time around, Hoquiam had the magic.

Newman and Vogt controlled the first set and led throughout, but Hoquiam carried it through in the 2-hour, 40-minute match, taking the marathon effort 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

In district play the weekend before, Vogt and Newman won against the same team on a convincing 7-6, 6-1 score.

Both players Newman and Vogt acknowledged that the competition was tough.

“We didn’t play as well as we hoped, but it was fun,” Vogt said.

And, said Newman, butterflies were not a problem.

“I wasn’t as nervous as I was the first time,” she said. “My previous experience was helpful.”

Their combined experience will likely make them contenders for the state title next year.

Rain was a factor in the tournament, causing some delays in start times. Matches had to be played both indoors and outdoors to keep the schedule from getting too strung out.

“Start times were delayed, sometimes by several hours which affected the mental preparation players need to compete at state,” said Coach Kramer.

“State play requires good concentration. It’s important they can’t let distractions interfere.

They lost the first match against Medical Lake.