High School Sports

Hilton Head Island standout wins SC girls individual tennis state championship

Staff Reports
Hilton Head Island’s Emily Ruckno, right and teammate Hailey Poplin pose for a photo after the Class 4A/5A individual championship. Ruckno won the individual championship and Poplin was all-state.
Hilton Head Island’s Emily Ruckno, right and teammate Hailey Poplin pose for a photo after the Class 4A/5A individual championship. Ruckno won the individual championship and Poplin was all-state. Hilton Head Athletics Photo

After helping her team to a state championship on Saturday, Hilton Head Island’s Emily Ruckno won an individual championship on Tuesday.

Ruckno defeated defending state champion and Socastee’s Brooke Rodgers in the title match of the Class 4A/5A individual championship at Eddie Floyd Tennis Center. She won five matches over the course of two days to win the championship.

Ruckno defeated West Florence’s Ella Brannon (6-0, 6-1), JL Mann’s Cassidy Carlson (6-3, 6-1), teammate Emily Poplin (6-2, 6-1) and Wando’s Reese Frank (6-3, 6-2) to make it to the championship.

Poplin earned all-state honors to go along with Ruckno. who earned the Sportsmanship award.. Both Poplin and Ruckno were part of the Seahawks’ squad that defeated Greenville on Saturday to win the school’s first state championship since 2019.

Ruckno also won her 100th career match earlier this year against May River.

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