War Eagle tennis aims for fifth conference title

Published 10:50 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Davie girls tennis became serial overdogs in the Central Piedmont Conference, winning 49 of 50 matches between 2021-24 and going 57-5 overall during those four years.
Last year coach Collin Ferebee’s War Eagles captured the CPC title for the fourth straight year and bagged their first 4-A playoff victory in eight years. Their records the past four years: 14-1, 14-1, 14-2, 15-1.
Will history repeat itself as Davie moves into a new conference?
It won’t be easy with Elliot Newsome gone and Bailey Aderhold injured. But a nice core returns and it would be no great shock if Davie makes it five league championships in a row.
“I think this is the highest floor team that I’ve seen in my time here; we’ll see what the ceiling looks like,” the ninth-year coach said. “We’ve got some pretty lofty ceilings in there, but everyone I have on the team can play tennis. Every single person has impressed in summer workouts and stuff. It’s definitely the highest floor I’ve seen in my nine years with the program.”
Newsome, a freshman at Belmont Abbey, had a career for the ages. She played No. 1 for four years and compiled a singles/doubles record of 103-17. Aderhold was all set for a huge senior year after going 39-8 in singles in her first three years at Davie, but a knee injury ended her prep career prematurely. But she’s there every day for support.
“She’s such a good person and such a great leader,” Ferebee said. “She is still with us. The girls are all looking up to her. She’s been a good voice of, ‘You ever know when a match is going to be your last one, so go play hard.’”
Following in Newsome’s substantial footsteps is Corbin Drum, who brings a gleaming resume into her junior year. Playing No. 2 the past two years, she went 29-3 in singles.
“Elliott’s shoes are very big to fill, but I think Corbin is going to do a good job of filling them,” Ferebee said. “She has stepped up as a leader at workouts and things like that. She’s been working on her game on her own and she’s got some new tools to pull out of the bag. I think our team starts with Corbin, but it does not end with Corbin.”
Casey Cao should have a huge impact after winning 20 of 21 singles matches as a sophomore at No. 6 and a junior at Nos. 4-5. We saw a glimpse of a beautiful future when Kate Chaffin went 14-2 at Nos. 5-6 singles as a freshman.
“Kate has gotten a lot better,” Ferebee said. “After having jitters as a freshman, she’s ready to step up and be more confident. Playing soccer last year and getting a starting spot on the varsity team added some confidence. She’s a better athlete than she was last year and she’s learned what she needs to work on from last year, which has brought her game up another level.”
Another name to know is Ola Leszczuk, a sophomore who figures to be a regular in the lineup.
“Ola was our No. 7 (last year) and she’s gotten a lot better,” he said. “She has been working on her own in the offseason.”
The rest of the starting lineup is an exciting mystery. The early returns on freshmen Sydney Ward and Layla Hazlip have been immensely positive.
“We have two freshmen that I think are going to crack the top six,” he said of Ward and Hazlip. “Clara Parsley (junior Lena Parsley’s younger sister) was No. 1 at South Davie last year. She’s also good.”
A team with seven freshmen, five sophomores, five juniors and five seniors is lavished with depth.
“For who I’m projecting to be 2-6, they have all beaten each other this summer,” Ferebee said. “I’m hoping that means we’ve got a really good team – new but good.
“(Sophomores) Olivia Rareshide and Avery Gladd have really improved. (Senior) Ella O’Toole has gotten better. Every single person has gotten better. The fact that I don’t fully know (the starting lineup) is I’m hoping a good sign that means that all of them have talent. I think we’re gonna be super strong (at most spots in singles) regardless of who lands in those roles, and we’re going to beat people just from consistency, just making them play and not quitting.”
The 22-deep roster includes seniors Victoria McFarlin and Ada Wallace; juniors Cassidy Eggers, Evie Conlin and Maddie Ratledge; sophomore Gabby McFarlin; and freshmen Iris Marion, Miriam Spann, Ella Fisher and Amelia Elledge.