Courting Greatness
Boulder Creek’s Tennis Dynasty Aces State Competition
Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek
A flash of light catches the dazzling Arizona sun as a racket slices through the air with a resonant “thwack.” The ball sails across the net at center court with dizzying speed, daring the opponent on the other side to follow its rapid trajectory and direct it back with power, precision and finesse. In this moment, singular focus is required in a game where every point is a battle fought with power, endurance and grace.
Tennis is more than just a sport — it’s an art form, and the young women of Boulder Creek High School’s varsity tennis team use the court as their canvas, painting victories stroke by stroke. In the 2024-25 season, they earned a semifinal berth at the state tournament while posting a win rate of more than 70% in regular-season matches.
Sophomore Michelle Bullock won the 2025 Arizona Division I Girls Singles Championship — a redemptive triumph after finishing as runner-up her freshman year. Bullock also earned the Arizona High School Sports Awards presented by Diamond Kitchens and Bath Tennis Athlete of the Year honor and is already an elite-level, four-star recruit, ranked fourth overall in Arizona.
These Jaguars have elevated the level of competition and achievement and cemented a legacy for future generations here in Anthem—beating the odds in the process.
“They’re such a great group of girls,” says Coach Darcy Wine, the 2024 Section Coach of the Year who guided her team to the 2025 state semifinals. “They learned to function as a team and how to win and lose with dignity — but they didn’t have a lot of experience with losing this year.”
Boulder Creek Athletic Director Kristin Ledin says the team’s success has fueled tremendous growth of interest by students vying for spots on the 2025-26 team and in the wider community.
“We have approval from the Deer Valley Unified School District to offer a middle school tennis program this year,” Ledin says. “We are inviting other DVUSD high schools to do the same. We are leading the way in keeping tennis a prominent sport for boys and girls teams.”
Redemption on Center Court
At the heart of this remarkable Jaguar squad is Bullock, who is unquestionably the team’s top talent and plays varsity basketball during the offseason. She’s a true artist and mastermind on the court, painting the lines with precision and targeting her shots with the strategy of a calm, cool and collected chess master.
Bullock’s state championship win this past season was a comeback of epic proportions. After her freshman runner-up finish, she entered the finals to face the top-seeded Desert Mountain player — a senior with a Division I college scholarship in hand, ranked sixth in the state, who’d already bested her in the regular season.
“After being runner-up last year, I really wanted to go after the championship,” she recalls. “I worked hard over the summer, playing in tournaments. When I lost that regular-season match, it sparked something in me. I knew I could beat her. I practiced extra hard every single day.”
All the training since she’d first picked up a racket at age 3, her college athlete father’s instruction, the competition she’d experienced in the U.S. Tennis Association since age 8 — it all came into sharp focus.
After winning the first set 6-1, Bullock lost the second 4-6, setting up a dramatic tiebreaker to decide the championship.
She went through her pre-serve ritual: a set of three high-knee skips, a set of five butt kicks, and a deep breath as she tapped the back fence — then exactly five bounces of the ball before a powerful serve to begin the battle.
“It was 7-all, and she hit this amazing shot,” Bullock says of the turning point. “I knew I had to get to the ball, or I would lose. I sprinted and got it over the net. She had to serve after that and ended up double-faulting.”
Bullock prevailed, grinding out a 10-7 win. She had done it. She was state champion.
“I cannot describe that feeling,” she says. “All my work, all the hours I trained and I came back to beat her. She was a good sport. I ran to my teammates, my coach and all the people who supported me.”
The championship win cemented her status as one of Arizona’s premier high school tennis athletes. With two more years of eligibility, Bullock hopes to lead her team to the state title while pursuing her goal of playing Division I college tennis.
“I love it because you get to be on a team in an individual sport,” she says. “We laugh a lot, and we have great, positive energy. We hype each other up on the court. If you have that positive energy, you can be in a flow state of mind.”
Rising Through Adversity
Bullock and her teammates have captured lightning in a bottle and are poised to do it again next season. Alina Barney, a sophomore, and Samantha Spiteri, a senior, are key returners who fueled the Jaguars’ road to the 2025 semifinals. They have faced their own personal challenges both on and off the court.
“Alina is outspoken and outgoing,” Wine says. “She learned to be on a team and she did great — she really grew throughout the year.”
Barney outlasts her opponents with sheer mental and physical endurance.
At age 11, Barney lost her beloved father. It was a hard road back to competition, but in 2023, she was one of just 29 Americans chosen to train with her hero, 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in Mallorca, Spain.
At just 14, Barney won a mighty challenge of her own: the co-ed championships in her category. With a 100-degree fever, she faced down both male and female competitors — and bested them every one.
“I woke up and said, ‘I don’t feel well at all,’” she recalls. “Somehow I pulled through and won the whole thing.”
Last season, she and her senior sister, Alisa, were partners at No. 2 doubles and went 11-2. She moved to No. 1 doubles for the final two matches of 2025 and was victorious in both.
“The thing I love most about tennis is that it’s such a beautiful art,” Barney says. “It’s more of an individual sport, coming from the USTA, but in high school it’s a team. Everyone’s in it together. I have so much support on and off the court.”
At the state individual playoffs, she played a 3 1/2-hour match versus an eighth seed under the midday sun, which sent the temperature into triple digits. With both girls’ legs cramping in the heat, it was down to who could outlast the other.
“It was a test of mental and physical endurance,” Barney explains. “Everyone around had finished their matches and came to watch. It was competitive, but hearing my name and ‘C’mon, let’s go!’ helped to calm me and encourage me to come to the net and finish it.”
She won the match in a third-set tiebreaker, 10-7.
Barney finished the season with an overall record of 27-5 and says she looks forward to team success and welcoming new teammates in 2025–26.
“I know what it feels like to come in as a freshman,” she says. “I’d love to be the one they look up to. I want to be that person they can rely on and will help them any way I can.”
After high school, her eyes are on a college tennis career and the Women’s Tennis Association tour.
Samantha Spiteri is the third component in the triumphant triumvirate and will play her final season in 2025-26. She had to overcome a move from Minnesota and adapt her game to excel at both singles and doubles.
“Sam is a confident player and very even-keeled,” Wine says. “All the girls love her. She’s friendly and has a great sense of humor.”
Though new to doubles, she and Bullock earned doubles Section Player of the Year honors, going 12-1 for the season. At No. 3 singles, she was 12-3, and at No. 2 singles, she was 2-0.
“(In one match) I was down in the first set 0-4, but I kept pushing through,” Spiteri recalls. “I hurt the other girl mentally by not giving up. It’s important to play the point and not get hung up on the past. It’s the same with moving to Arizona — you can’t be living in the past.”
Her advice for young tennis players is straightforward:
“Never give up,” she says. “It’s basic, but it’s true. There can be ups and downs, but persevere because it’s an amazing sport that will be with you your whole life. Get past what might stop you.”
Building a Legacy
Just as great artists and athletes raise standards for those who follow, Bullock, Barney and Spiteri are building a tennis legacy in Anthem.
Ledin and Wine express pride in the team’s hard work and success. They see the results in a surge of interest in team tryouts with the new DVUSD middle school tennis program expanding access to top-tier instruction.
“We have so many talented players,” Ledin says. “This group is paving the way for Boulder Creek’s success to come. They are the originals.”
Win or lose, these promising young athletes are ambassadors on and off the court.
