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High expectations are a constant for all sports at DeMatha High School. But the Stags tennis team did not reach its goal of winning Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships in 2007 and 2008.

In a pressure-packed competition last week at the Tennis Center at College Park, the youngest additions to the roster came through when the team needed them most as the Stags captured the WCAC championship for the first time since 2006.

Particularly sweet for DeMatha was to finish the season undefeated. The Stags went 14-0 during the regular season, including a pair of 5-4 victories over WCAC runner-up Gonzaga.

The Stags got victories in the top three singles divisions and the top two doubles divisions to clinch the crown at the WCAC tournament.

"In terms of talent, I knew we would be close," said first-year coach Jason Ramos. "I wasn't sure how our younger players would step up. Especially in the doubles, most tennis players are growing up and training to focus on singles. It takes a concerted effort to get two singles players to communicate and play well on the court."

Stags' freshman Brett Tielman-Fenelus lost a close 10-10 (7-2) nail-biter to Gonzaga's Mike Artiles at No. 4 singles. But Tielman-Fenelus would bounce back and team with fellow freshman Evan Ward at No. 2 doubles, defeating Gonzaga's Aaron Artiles and Paul Mascola to clinch the title for the Stags.

DeMatha senior John Collins defeated Paul VI High's Brian Hope easily, 10-3, at No. 1 singles. Senior Eric Ward capped his third consecutive undefeated season by capturing the No. 2 singles championship, 10-4, over Mascola. Evan Ward quickly dispatched Aaron Artiles, 10-1, for the No. 3 singles title.

Eric Ward and Collins combined to take the No. 1 doubles crown, 10-3, over Paul VI's Chris Rieves and Hope.

"Oh my gosh, it's awesome [to win]," Collins said. "We definitely had all of the momentum in the clutch moments entering the tournament. Everyone just had to keep focused in the earlier rounds and get ready for the finals. Every year we've always been able to play our best toward the end of the season. We had a lot of expectations to live up to."

"It felt great," Eric Ward said. "It was a great way to end my career. That was my third year going undefeated. I was kind of determined to push myself to go undefeated."

The Stags have much to look forward to as the team will move forward without Collins – headed to play at the University of Maryland in the fall – and Ward who received a partial scholarship to play at Morgan State next school year.

Evan Ward is likely to slide into the No. 1 singles spot next year as a sophomore, and Tielman-Fenelus will be the team's No. 2. Ramos said the program is headed in the right direction.

"I guess I'm just looking forward to seeing the development of the freshman from this season," Ramos said. "I hope they take what they've learned in the first year and take it up a notch next year. I'll be really interested to see them kind of grow and mature and develop physically as well. They have a lot of room to grow in physical stature."

E-mail Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.