Western Albemarle’s Charlie Miller has been fighting and clawing for four years to have the chance he had Tuesday afternoon. Every year Miller has fought his way up the ladder for the Warriors, trying to get into the top six to have a chance to play in the state tournament matches for a program that has won eight state team titles since 2007 and regularly has top two-ready freshmen join the program.
“It’s a fight just to be on the team so I’m proud wherever I am on the ladder,” Miller said. “It just means even more to be playing. This is my first time starting ever so it means a lot to me. I’ve been fighting for the sixth spot all four years and I finally got my chance and I was able to prove (I deserved it).”
Miller proved it in a huge way Tuesday. The senior played in his first state tournament match in the quarterfinal win over Rock Ridge, then got the chance against Blacksburg in the semifinals to clinch and he delivered. Miller won his three-set marathon match 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, closing out a 5-1 win over Blacksburg to vault the Warriors into the Class 4 state championship match.
““I’m so excited, everyone played well today, we had some close sets but we fought through it,” said Western No. 1 Tobin Yates. “They’re a great team but we came through in a big way.”
Yates didn’t finish his match because Miller clinched, but was up in the second set after winning a hard fought first set 7-6 against Blacksburg’s Samuel Xing. His teammates, meanwhile, were taking care of business and the Warriors’ cohesiveness helps in big matches like that.
“We play a lot in the offseason together so we really know each other well,” Yates said. “Bringing that into the state playoffs has really helped us stay together as a group. We’re unified and we want to win together, not individually.”
Freshmen Brader Eby and Wade Sturman rolled at No. 3 and No. 4 singles, with Eby winning 6-0, 6-1 and Sturman winning 6-3, 6-2.
“I wish I could watch them more, but Brader and Wade are some big tennis players, they’re going to be really good by their senior year,” Miller said.
Junior Luke Kielbasa won his set at No. 2 6-3, 6-3 and sophomore Tanner Segraves picked up a 6-0, 7-5 victory at No. 4 singles. That set the table for Miller to clinch after years of dedication to the program.
“I was trying to rally (in the second set) but I couldn’t, we were swapping every other game,” Miller said. “But I was able to sort of wear him out, I think he got pretty tired in the third set.”
The Warriors will play in the state final Thursday morning at Huntington Park in Newport News.
