In the West Virginia high school tennis format, here is a strong hint your team might be good: Your defending No. 1 state champ is playing No. 3 singles a year later.

Such is the case with Charleston Catholic's girls this year, as Anna Wood is playing behind Mary Emma Maddox and Claire Hamilton, last year's No. 2 and No. 4 champs, respectively. It wasn't a case of Wood tumbling as much as it was a case of Maddox and Hamilton adopting the sport as a year-round pursuit.

Not to say Wood isn't serious about it, but she played a pivotal role in the Irish's state semifinalist basketball team. When that ended, it was time to pick up a racket and fight for team position.

Maddox also used to participate in another sport in the winter, but no more. She improved so much on the court, she won the No. 1 spot despite having to serve underhanded. Her shoulder has since healed.

"I think she has retired from swimming completely," said coach Melanie Schlarb. "Last year, she had a shoulder injury from swimming, and that probably hindered her a lot from being 'one' singles."

Wood had a brief shock, but she is enjoying the role. It's less stressful for her this week - instead of hacking through two three-set marathons like she did last year, she has blown through two matches without losing a game. Ravenswood's Taylor Youell will take a crack at her today as the championship round begins at 8 a.m.

And Wood is keeping in touch with the top level as Maddox's doubles partner. They are longtime friends, partners and mutual admirers of each other's game.

"She a lefty and she has fantastic angles," Wood said of Maddox. "And she has gotten a lot stronger and hits it so much harder, and her net [skills] have really improved."

 "I had a closer match with Claire, but Anna's game, I always have problems with it," Maddox said. "She's just so consistent."

Don't expect Huntington or Catholic to go away anytime soon. Between the four teams, there aren't many losses to graduation.

For Huntington's boys and Catholic's girls, there are no seniors. The Highlanders stand to get even better, with ranked U.S. Tennis Association player Hunter Tubert entering the ninth grade. He likely will enter as the No. 2 player behind Robert Skolik.

The Catholic boys lose two players, No. 2 singles player Joe White and No. 3 doubles partner Christian Kim. The Catholic girls lose nobody, but could use reinforcements - only six players went out this year, the minimum to fill a lineup.

Huntington's girls lose veteran Sarah Cummings, the No. 1 singles player before the arrival of Cassie Mercer.

In its third year, Washington High has sort of taken over tennis in the Eastern Panhandle, the state's area of largest growth. But can the Patriots, a de-consolidation of Jefferson High, ever break through at the state level?

Martinsburg won the region's first Class AAA football title, and Jefferson and Hedgesville have won track titles recently. So can Washington, which qualified in all seven positions, follow suit?

Friday was tough on the Patriots. Katelyn Mumaw has run into a semifinal wall in all four years, including her freshman year at Jefferson. Her teammates suffered the same fate in the other six positions, and the boys fell in four semifinals.

Tennis facilities haven't caught up with the area's population growth. WHS has shiny new courts, but the most interested players have to go to Winchester or Manassas, Va.

"We definitely need some indoor facilities where we are," said coach Chris Walter. "It helps to get year-round players. We do have kids who travel to indoor facilities out of the county, out of the state. It definitely gives an advantage when you do play year-round, as with anything."

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.