It has been said that everyone can have a bad day, and Smoky Hill sophomore Valerie Negin is smart enough to cope with that thought.

“I have good days and I have bad days,” she said. “Some days are bad and some days are better.”

Negin didn’t have any bad days, at least on the tennis court, this season.

She completed a 17-0 season by winning the CHSAA Class 5A singles champion and become the first Smoky Hill player to win a singles title in since Patti Urban in 1987.

Negin has been named the 2019 Colorado Community Media South Metro Girls Tennis Player of the Year.

“She is a special player and a great teammate,” said Smoky Hill coach Jeffrey Davis. “She was voted our team captain as a sophomore this season.

“She participates in the IB (International Baccalaureate) academic program at Smoky Hill, which can be very difficult to balance with tennis. Valerie is an outstanding student and athlete and excels in the classroom as much as she does on the court.”

This season’s state tournament was reduced to two days and Negin had to win a tough three-set semifinal match and come back to face Fairview’s Sophie Pearson in the finals.

After losing the second set, she had two service breaks and broke Pearson’s serve to love in the eighth game to finish off a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 championship victory.

“I had to suck it up and play because it was the finals,” she said. “After the second set, I just said `Valerie this is it, whatever happens, happens. Blood, sweat and tears on the court.’

“It was crazy. The last match was my best match.”