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McKinnon leads Iredell's all-county tennis picks
Photo by Bruce Matlock
Lake Norman ace Andrew McKinnon stepped up his leadership this year, which ended with a state championship.
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Published: June 22, 2009
Andrew McKinnon has built his legacy at Lake Norman off second chances.
The precocious Lake Norman senior tennis player doesn't lose often. But when he does, and gets another opportunity against the same opponent, it's a different story.
McKinnon first demonstrated this unusual determination as a junior. McKinnon, the Wildcats' No. 1 player, was fresh off a straight-sets loss to Hickory's Luke Synn in the 3A individual bracket of the West Regional.
"He spanked me," McKinnon said with a chuckle. "It was pretty bad."
McKinnon, though, got another shot at Synn when Lake Norman and Hickory met in the third round of the dual team state playoffs. With one more chance, McKinnon flustered Synn with his strong play and downed the state runner-up 7-5, 6-3 to give the Wildcats a good chance to win.
McKinnon, the 2009 R&L Boys Tennis Player of the Year, faced almost the exact same situation this year.
Again, he came through. In the 3A West finals, with the winning team advancing to the state championship, McKinnon took the court against Catholic's top player, Kyle Johnson. Just five days prior, Johnson had defeated McKinnon 7-6, 6-0 in the semifinals of the 3A individual championship en route to winning an individual state title.
With more at stake in the rematch, McKinnon won nine games in a row at one point and earned a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win over the state champ. It was the turning point in a 5-4 Lake Norman win, and the Wildcats won the state championship two days later.
"After he lost to Luke Synn in the regionals, he came back and pulled me aside after that match and said 'I will win when we play again,' " Wildcats coach Chris Carroll said. "This year, we got the same kind of feeling from him when we played Catholic. He knew he had to come out for the team.
"I think he's pretty happy about the way it ended."
And the way it ended was never in doubt, at least not in McKinnon's mind. With three other seniors in the top four, the Wildcats work in the summer was geared toward winning the state championship.
In order to get there, McKinnon set forth with an unwavering confidence in himself.
"If I'm going to go to a match, I never have a doubt in my mind I am going to lose, no matter who my opponent is," McKinnon said. "Tennis is such a mind game. I felt good going into that match against Catholic. I felt like I was ready to perform."
Kind of like he was all season. McKinnon finished the year 25-2, with his only other loss coming to 4A state champ and former Statesville Christian standout Robbie Mudge. He was at his best during Lake Norman's run to the state championship, a taxing playoff run that included back-to-back-to-back 5-4 wins.
"All three of those matches, against Marvin Ridge, Ragsdale and Charlotte Catholic, Andrew's leadership really kicked in," Carroll said. "When we talked as a team after singles matches, he told them that we were going to win that match. We would not lose in doubles.
"Then against Catholic, he wasn't going to let the team down. That's the true sign of a leader."
And of a champion. McKinnon's most impressive performance of the season came in the state championship. With the Wildcats challenging Southern Nash, McKinnon dusted off his opponent 6-0, 6-1 in a match that took less than 35 minutes.
Moments later, Lake Norman took a 5-0 singles lead to officially clinch the state title.
"He just played the best he's ever played at the perfect time," Carroll said. "It all came out at the right moment. He was awesome."
McKinnon has a vicious serve and overpowering forehand that he uses to bludgeon opponents on the court. Equally as impressive, though, is his mind.
The Appalachian State signee has a keen court awareness and often thinks two or three points ahead. That will serve him well as he enters play in the Southern Conference.
"I'm going to be working really hard this summer, getting myself into the best shape that I can to make the top of the lineup," McKinnon said. "College tennis is another animal. I'll be playing grown men that are bigger than I am. I'm going to work as hard as I can and try to play in the top six as a freshman."
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