WINDSOR – The All-Roanoke-Chowan Tennis Team for 2006 was announced here last week.

Seven players were chosen for the third annual team made up of those participating in girl’s tennis from Bertie, Hertford and Northampton counties.

Leading the way on this year’s team was Bertie High School as the Lady Falcons placed three players on the unit. The three-player group became players number two, three and four to eve make the team for the Lady Falcons.

“I’m extremely proud of our girls,” sixth-year Bertie coach Jackie Copeland said. “They worked very hard this season.

“As a group, most of them had not picked up a racket until they started playing for Bertie and they worked hard and learned until they became some of the area’s best,” she added.

Making the team for the Lady Falcons were senior Megan Cowan, classmate Brittany Hoggard and sophomore Holly Cowand.

“I’m especially pleased with these three young ladies,” Copeland said. “They gave their all this season and it paid off.”

Joining the three Lady Falcons on the team are two members of the Ridgecroft School tennis club.

Senior number one seed Kristen Cayton had an outstanding year for the Lady Rams. In her second season as the top seed, she worked hard and pushed for every point.

Joining her from Ridgecroft is Jessica Bolton, the Lady Ram’s number three seed. Her skills have improved over the past two seasons as evidenced by her advancement in the state playoffs.

Northeast Academy senior Brittany Wade was also a member of the All-Roanoke-Chowan Team.

As the number two seed on her squad, Wade went 13-1 and made it to the semifinals of the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association tournament.

Sarah Brown of Hertford County High School is generally recognized as one of the area’s top players. Her hard work and dedication led to her becoming the third consecutive top seed for the Lady Bears to make the All-Roanoke-Chowan club.

The All-Roanoke-Chowan Tennis Coach of the Year is Jackie Copeland.

The sixth-year coach of the Lady Falcons took over a team that barely had enough members to qualify. In the six years that have followed she has built to club to the point of winning a 3-A division title in the Northeastern Coastal Conference.

The championship was the first ever of any kind for a tennis team at Bertie High School.