~ The Sophomore duo will compete today in the Class 2 state tournament

Montana Adams and Jenny Powell get results well ahead of schedule when they double-team a task.

The two Jackson sophomores teamed up in tennis this year, and they will finish their first full season together in the doubles competition at the Missouri state tennis championships this weekend in Springfield, Mo.

"This is exciting. I never expected it," Adams said. "I just expected to be going to state my senior year."

Like a good doubles partner, Powell was of the same mind.

"I'm surprised, because it's taken a lot to go to state," Powell said. "I didn't think we'd get there until our senior year. But this year when we won district, it looked like we could get to state."

The schedule was accelerated when the pair posted a three-set victory over a St. Louis entry from Lindbergh High School in the recent Class 2 Sectional 1.

The victory boosted the Jackson tandem's record to 18-5, putting them in the field of 16 doubles teams at the Class 2 tournament, which begins today at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.

Adams and Powell are the first Jackson doubles entry at the state tournament since 2002.

That didn't look like a realistic goal at this point when the two were partnered as freshmen.

"They started out as a doubles team, but they did so poorly -- they were both freshmen -- and so we put them with two seniors," said Jackson coach Linda Adams, who also doubles as Montana's mother. "We split them up, so they started winning with the seniors."

Powell played No. 1 doubles, while Montana played No. 2 doubles.

"They just weren't experienced enough in competition to do well," coach Adams said.

Neither player had competitive experience going into her freshman season.

Montana had been exposed to tennis her whole life, with her mom serving as either the Jackson tennis coach or assistant since 1995. Montana began playing tennis around sixth grade and became more serious about the sport in eighth grade but never played in a competitive environment.

Powell also is the daughter of a high school coach -- Central swimming coach Dayna Powell, a friend of coach Adams. Powell competed in swimming and basketball for years but took up tennis in eighth grade with some prodding from her father Vince Powell, the principal at Jackson High School.

"My dad thought that I should learn how to play, just know what it was, kind of," Powell said. "Montana's mom said [Montana] took lessons, and I started taking lessons with her."

And when Montana planned to play tennis her freshman year, Powell decided she would give it a try before the high school swimming season started in the winter months.

"After my freshman year I really liked it and wanted to stay with it," Powell said.

The two have become a formidable unit after their rough start as partners.

"I think we work good together," Powell said. "A lot of times we get each other up. There are times when I'll be at the baseline and hit a good shot, and then she'll go to it real well and put it away. I think we complement each other well."

Powell prefers the baseline and likes to hit a high, deep slice return to get the opposition out of position, which sets up Montana, who prefers to play around the net. A deep Powell shot sets the stage for one of Montana's favorite moments.

"It gets them off-balance where they hit either a lob to me our just a short shot to me where I can slam it," Montana said with a smile.

In singles, Powell assembled an 11-3 record as the Indians' No. 1 player, while Montana was 7-7 in the No. 3 spot. Both said they like singles, but they also enjoy the team aspect of doubles.

Powell is the more fiery competitor, often laying out the strategy and taking charge, while Montana can temper her partner's desire to win with a calming outlook.

Powell said she normally doesn't get nervous before matches, but found herself fighting nerves in the drive for the state tournament.

"Montana just looked at it more as a regular match," Powell said. "When I think about it, it's, 'This is for going to state.'"

The pair began to play its best tennis in late September when it advanced to the quarterfinals of a 64-team bracket in Springfield. After wins against teams from Parkview and Joplin, the Jackson entry defeated a tandem from Kickapoo High School of Springfield in the round of 16.

"We saw some more competition and we got into some close games," Powell said. "And once we won a couple, we thought, 'We can beat these teams that live in bigger towns. We can beat them.' I think it gave us a lot of confidence going into district and sectional."

And now they are two relieved players as they head to state.

"We're going in with nothing to lose," Powell said. "State was the goal. So now we're there and we're just going to go and hopefully get a good draw and play our best and hopefully move on in the tournament."