As La Salle Prep senior Kennedy Harris nears the end of a decorated high school tennis career that includes three 5A girls singles titles, she took a moment to reflect on how far she has come.
“When I was nine or 10, and really starting to get into tennis, I really wanted one state title,” she said. “Now that I've gotten three, it's like, shoot, I just need one more. It would mean the world.”
The University of Portland commit is right on schedule so far this season. She has wasted little time in vanquishing her foes, surrendering only eight games in her 10 victories.
It's unlikely that Harris will be seriously threatened until the state tournament, where players such as Crescent Valley junior Emily Gu, Summit sophomore Kate Bonetto and Ashland senior Veronica Miller could push her to the brink. So she is using each match as a chance to fine-tune her game.
“I've been pushing the last few months to try to improve as much as I can, and also have fun in the process, because if I do, I know I can also improve a lot,” Harris said. “I just try to find things I can work on, like my serve or my forehand.”
Harris knows she can't afford to rest on her three titles.
“There could be other girls coming in who, seeing me win these last three state titles, they're trying their best to maybe take me out,” she said. “So I'm going to prepare as much as I can for any of these girls coming in who are trying to shoot their shot.”
La Salle Prep coach David Lane can vouch for how opponents measure themselves against Harris.
“Anytime anybody plays Kennedy, if they know they're outmatched, their main goal is to try to get at least a game off her, which is a hard enough feat by itself,” Lane said. “She does everything she can to win every point, much less every single game. She's very motivated.”
Harris has won all but three matches in her high school career. She lost to Gu 6-1, 6-7 (5), 10-6 in the second match of her sophomore season. In each of the last two years, she fell to Jesuit's Carissa Gerung, losing 6-3, 6-0 in 2023 and 6-1, 6-1 in 2024.
Gerung, the 6A runner-up last year, has moved on to a college career at Caltech. Gu, the 5A runner-up the last two years, remains as a potential obstacle.
Gu appeared ready to take down Harris in last year's state final, leading 5-2 in the first set. But Harris regrouped and won 7-5, 6-1, showing a resilience that has become a trademark.
“A lot of players will just implode, like, 'What is happening to me? I'm getting beat in a match that I should be winning,'” Lane said. “But since she doesn't go into matches with that mindset, she's able to maintain her composure.”
Harris' lack of ego is a key factor in her success, according to Lane.
“What sets her apart is her mentality,” Lane said. “She has respect for every single opponent she plays. That allows her to give up some games in really tough matches. She doesn't panic if she gets down because she knows she's going against a good player. She just knows she has to keep grinding it out.”
Harris has a perfectionist side, too. Lane recalled the 2023 district tournament, when Harris completed a golden set but missed finishing a second one due to two double-faults.
“She couldn't have cared less that she had a golden set, she was more worried about the fact that she had double-faulted twice,” Lane said. “If she fees like she's going against an opponent she can beat, she wants to win every single point, even if she's testing out new strategies.”
Since age 12, Harris has trained at The Academy, a club run by University of Portland men's coach Aaron Gross. The training helped provide her with a goal for her tennis career.
“That was my first glimpse of college tennis,” she said. “Since then it was like, 'It would be really cool to play for UP.' I've known the coaches for a while, so I already have that connection. That's why it all worked out.”
Lane believes Harris is ready to meet the challenge of college tennis.
“I think she has the potential to kick it up another gear,” Lane said. “She hasn't yet faced the competition in high school tennis in Oregon where she's had to find that extra gear. We've been kind of watching her play in third gear, versus fourth or fifth.”
Before going off to the University of Portland, Harris is savoring the final high school season with her sophomore brother, Kaiden, who won the 5A boys singles title last year. The siblings captured their championships while playing on adjacent courts.
“It's been amazing because we've grown up playing tennis together,” Kennedy Harris said. “To see him improve this much, and be able to win that state title last year, was just incredible.
“Of course, he's my little brother and I want him to succeed, but also we push each other to get better. We don't compete with each other, like, we need to beat the other, but we just try to help each other improve as much as we can.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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