OLATHE — The third time wasn't just the charm — it was destiny for Maryam Wambi.  

After finishing second and third the past two seasons, the Blue Valley Northwest senior teamed up with freshman Ella Wang to finally capture the state doubles crown Saturday at the Class 6A state tennis tournament in Olathe, ending her high school career not with heartbreak, but with a gold medal that was years in the making.  

"It means a lot as I have been playing tennis for so long," Wambi said. "My goal since I started playing high school tennis was I wanted to win a state title. I knew I could do it and it just feels great." 

Heartbreak and frustration is what Wambi has felt the last two seasons. As a sophomore, she finished as the state runner-up with her sister as her partner, before finishing third last season. 
 

However, she finally got the state title she was looking for — thanks in part to her freshman partner, who didn't have to wait nearly as long Wambi did. 

"We have been a great team and have been very supportive of each other," Wang said. "We have gone through the ups and downs and I think we started off playing really good together and that just kept going." 

It went all the way to the state championship match where they faced off against Blue Valley West's Chandana Vijaykumar and Angie Wang. There wasn't much drama as Wambi and Wang earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory to garner the gold medal. 

"I was tiny bit nervous to start, but we started out really good and then my nerves just went away," Wang said. "When we got close to winning, the nerves started to come back again but we got through it."

The victory capped what was a special season for both Northwest tennis players. 

They ended the year with a 24-2 record and went undefeated against Kansas opponents, with their two losses coming at the hands of pair of Missouri programs. The Northwest duo might have only competed with each other for a year, but the chemistry came along pretty quick. 

"Since the first time Ella and I played together, it just seemed like we were on fire," Wambi said. "Ella and I just work well together. Our strengths compliment each other and we are able to pick each other up. She is just a good partner that I can rely on." 
 

Wambi and Wang, the tournament's No. 1 seed, earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Olathe West's Emory Roseman and Averee Henshaw to begin their journey. They followed that up with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Blue Valley's Neenaz Irani and Annabel Warwick. 

In the semifinals, Wambi and Weng cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Olathe Northwest's Emery Rand and Ada Smith before knocking off Vijaykumar and Angie Wang in the championship. 

"The whole time we were here, we were just focusing on not making it a bigger deal than it is," Wambi said. "We just wanted to go out there and play our best. When got out on the court for the finals, we just told ourselves that is just another match and this is what we have been preparing for. We just wanted to go out there and do our best and do well for our team and everyone that we are representing." 

CLASS 6A STATE TENNIS 

At College Boulevard Activity Center 

DOUBLES 

Championship – Maryam Wambi/Ella Wang, Blue Valley Northwest def. Chandana Vijaykumar/Angie Wang, 6-2, 6-4. Third place – Catherine Beltrame/Isabelle Broce, Shawnee Mission East def. Emery Rand/Ada Smith, 6-3, 6-3. Fifth place – Maya Finkle/Lana Grewal, Blue Valley North def. Syra Honargohar/Erin O'Neal, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 8-5. Seventh place – Neenaz Irani/Annabel Warwick, Blue Valley def. Katie Brehm/Karlie Demel, Derby, 8-6. Ninth place – Taryn Jones/Annie Pilakowski, Lawrence Free State def. Keylee Schartz/Jackie Hsu, Manhattan, 8-3; 11th place – Cammie Peng/Paige Pikus, Blue Valley Northwest def. Emory Roseman/Averee Henshaw, Olathe West, 8-0