The Warriors — behind the senior doubles tandem of Alex Politis and Riley Wilson — won their third straight state title in a 5-4 marathon that lasted 6 1/2 hours and left spectators numb.

In the end, the Warriors were the ones left standing. They won 5-3 and advanced to this morning’s finals against Hidden Valley. Western (18-1) will be gunning for its third straight state title.

Western Albemarle High’s Joey Manilla sat on a courtside bench with his older brother, Danny, for several minutes following a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Salem’s Patrick O’Keefe in the semifinals of the Group AA singles tournament.

Chaillo ended Napolitano’s season with a 6-4, 6-1 victory at Fairfax Racquet Club.

This morning at Radford University, Manilla will get another crack at O’Keefe when they meet in the individual state semis.

As they had before, Patriots gave the Hilltoppers all they could handle, but in the end it wasn’t quite enough as Glass narrowly prevailed, 5-4.

The Patriots were unable to complete the comeback, falling to the Vikings, 5-2, in the Northwest Region championship.

Loudoun Valley senior Kiersten Pappas held off a challenge from Albemarle sophomore Megan Napolitano to repeat as Northwest Region singles champion.

That reputation was further solidified on Wednesday afternoon as the Warriors trounced Monticello 5-0 to capture the Jefferson District championship.

Tuesday marked another chapter in that success, as both teams emerged from this year’s district title matches victorious.

After the graduation of five key players and some injuries springing up early in the year, Warriors coach Charles Ix went to the freshman well — and so far, that decision has paid big dividends.

It took almost a month to complete, but Albemarle’s girls’ tennis team held off crosstown rival and area power, Western Albemarle, 7-2, on Thursday.

With senior Ben Fitts and sophomores Joey Manilla and Alex Preve, there was no question that the 2008 edition of the Warriors was capable of defending its crown.

For Western Albemarle’s Joey Manilla, superstitions aren’t just a good luck charm — they’re a way of life. He’s looking for just about every mental edge he can find — even if it means wearing layers.

The sophomore managed a win and set the table for Western’s powerful doubles group, where Preve and freshman Teddy Nelson teamed for a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles that clinched Western’s second straight state title with a 5-2 victory.

Western Albemarle’s win in the VHSL state finals was a fantastic finish to a dominating season, but the state final match also provided a chance for redemption for the Warriors’ Jamie Thomas, Ben Fitts and Joey Manilla.

Gabe Kosowitz battled through footwork problems to pick up a three-set victory at No. 2 singles, clinching a 5-0 victory for the Warriors in the Group AA boys tennis team semifinals over Harrisonburg. Western will face Salem this morning at 9 a.m. the finals with the chance to win its second straight state title.

Unfortunately for Western Albemarle’s Joey Manilla, that was not the case — he lost in the state semifinals to Region I champion Elliott Mee of Jamestown in three sets, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-2, but Artis saw the heart of a champion.

Joey Manilla fell in the first round of the VHSL boys tennis state semifinals.

In the last day of Region II competition at the Boar’s Head Inn Sports Club on Wednesday, athletes from two powerful area tennis programs concluded their respective seasons.

The Region II individual girls tennis tournament got underway on Tuesday, and Western Albemarle’s Shannon Bayliss and the Monticello doubles team of Amanda Wagner and Lizzie Gaffney moved on to continue play in today’s final round.

Western Albemarle’s core of seniors got them to the Region II final, but the Warriors’ underclassmen put them over the top.

The Western Albemarle boys tennis team is confident, and with good reason. The Warriors coasted through the Jefferson District and carry an unbeaten record (19-0) into the Region II finals, which will be held today at Western Albemarle.

The Covenant School’s boys tennis team will make its second consecutive trip to the VIS Division II finals on Saturday, as the Eagles stormed past Virginia Episcopal for the fourth time this season on Thursday, 9-0.

Anyone who knows Joey Manilla isn’t too surprised that the sophomore is the No. 1 player for the Western Albemarle boys tennis team.

Western Albemarle has built quite a legacy in the sport of tennis in its years in the Jefferson District, as both the boys and girls teams have won every title since the league was formed. The Warriors continued that streak in the 2008 championship on Tuesday at Piedmont Virginia Community College, as each team defeated rival Monticello.

Western Albemarle and Monticello squared off in a do-or-die tiebreaker match to decide who would secure the top seed in Monday’s Jefferson District tournament on Saturday. After splitting the season series the teams were tied, but in the rubber match, Western prevailed, 6-1.

The Albemarle boys tennis team found itself in an unexpected dogfight in the Commonwealth District final on Wednesday evening. After a dominant first-set performance in which no Patriot won by fewer than four points, second-seeded Mountain View took a pair of second sets to stay alive.

The Patriots made quick work of visiting Riverbend in a 5-0 victory in the district final. In the five completed matches, Albemarle claimed each set by at least four points.

It’s frustrating to be the new kid on the block and equally galling to be overshadowed in your own county. But the Monticello girls tennis team is quietly building a tradition and took a big step into the limelight on Tuesday.