The drought is finally over.

For the first time since 1994, Woodburn High School’s girls tennis team is headed to the state tournament.

Senior captains and doubles partners Jamie Schiedler and Quetzalli Carlos battled through three rounds at the 5A Mid-Willamette district championships in Corvallis, earning a spot at state after dismantling a top Corvallis team in the quarterfinals. The pair became the first Bulldog girls in 31 years to qualify for the postseason stage.

“The goal was to get somebody to state. Last year we came close, but we lost in the quarterfinals,” said head coach Tom Lonergan. “But this year we did a lot of extra practicing, and it finally paid off.”

Schiedler and Carlos entered the bracket as a fourth seed out of 40 teams. They took care of Silverton 6-1, 6-4 and defeated South Albany 6-1, 6-1. The defining moment came in the third round, where they shocked Corvallis High, a district favorite, with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 win.

But, it wasn’t just tactics and practice that got the girls through the quarterfinals; Lonergan believes it was also their confidence and sheer will.

“In the quarterfinal, Jamie kind of took charge and she said, ‘we’re gonna win this match,’” Lonergan said. “I think she really made up her mind that she wanted to go to the state (tournament), and that was the difference. That’s the kind of attitude you got to have, that do-or-die attitude. Quetzalli really fed off that too, and that gave her more confidence.”

The duo played with chemistry built over years of shared leadership and long summer practices.

“Jamie is aggressive and great at overheads, if the ball comes up at the net she’s going to slam it down,” Lonergan said. “Quetzalli is a great server, and when she comes up and volleys, it’s really effective and dynamic together.”

The win meant more than just a state berth; it marked a milestone in a program that’s struggled to find its footing for decades.

“I’ve been at Woodburn High School since 1990, and the girls have probably had 15 to 20 different coaches before I took over for them,” said Lonergan. “They’ve never fully gotten it together since 1994. So it’s really good to see the girls find success. And hopefully more girls will come out for tennis now. Woodburn has a lot of good female athletes, and hopefully they will join.”

Unlike some schools in their conference, Woodburn doesn’t have a local tennis club or indoor facilities for year-round training. Most players start playing in high school and practice outside whenever the weather permits. That made their achievement even sweeter. When they clinched their spot, they celebrated like a team that had faced adversity and had waited three decades.

“They are really, really excited — they were hugging and taking pictures, went over to the boys team and got congratulated,” Lonergan said. “It’s a big moment for the girls.”

Schiedler and Carlos play top-seeded Silverton in the semifinals on Friday, May 16, with a shot to improve their state seeding heading into the championships. But the job’s already done: Woodburn’s drought is over, and they are officially qualified for state.

The 5A state championships begin May 23 at West Hills Racket Club in Beaverton and continue May 24 at Tualatin Hills Tennis Center. Finally, the Bulldogs will be there.