Chick-fil-A of Anderson Hall of Fame Classic
The Chick-fil-A of Anderson Hall of Fame Classic is a girls high school tournament which began in 1987. Each fall 8 top high school girls teams are invited to compete. The tournament is hosted by the Belton Tennis Association and Belton-Honea Path is the host school. Competition is divided by position, with 5 singles flights and 2 doubles flights. Players earn points for their team with wins. Each player and doubles team plays 3 matches during the 2 days. Matches are also provided for alternates, but do not count toward the team scores.
Christ Church won the 2022 tournament with 37 points, winning 4 of the 5 singles flights and #2 doubles. The 2021 tournament champion, AC Flora (who won the other 2 flghts) finished second with 31 points. The results of the singles and doubles championship matches were:
- #1 Singles-Sidney Mitchell (CC) def. Frances Smith (ACF) 6-3, 7-6(0)
- #2 Singles-Lexie Sobosinski (CC) def. CarlieBalck (GVL) 6-2, 6-1
- #3 Singles-Layla Shad (CC) def. Lanie Sturgeon (ACF) 6-3, 6-3
- #4 Singles-Caroline Bruner (CC) def. Helen Miller (ACF) 6-3, 6-1
- #5 Singles-Emily Smith (ACF) def. Rowan MacClenahan (CC) 6-1, 6-0
- #1 Doubles-Frances Smith & Siona Sturgeon (ACF) def. M. C. Dailey & Gracie Spangler (CL) 8-6
- #2 Doubles-Parker Davis & Bennett Murphy (CC) def. Caroline Overdyke & Katherine Smith (ACF) 7-5, 7-6 (9)
Only 6 teams participated in the 2022 tournament due to district restrictions pending Hurrican Ian. The other 4 teams competing were BHP, Clinton, Greenville and T. L. Hanna. Chapin and Spartanburg were unable to play. T. L. Hanna received the team sportsmanship award.
Myrtle Beach leads with 8 team championships followed by Christ Church with 7, then Irmo, Bishop England, T. L. Hanna and J. L. Mann with 3 each. Hartsville and Hilton Head have each won twice. Two teams have gone undefeated in a tournament, T. L. Hanna in 2013 and Christ Church in 2017.
The tournament is hosted each year by the Belton Tennis Association and sponsored by Chick-fil-A of Anderson. The Hall of Fame Classic was named the USTA Southern Team Event of the Year in 2015. The 2023 tournament is tentatively scheduled for September 30 and October 1.