A ring for the thumb

Will Ramey just completed a high school tennis career that was so successful he has a collection of state championship rings for four fingers, and one for the thumb.

 

Ramey began his prep tennis career in 2019 when he was a seventh-grader at Philip Simmons High School. The Iron Horses won a state title that spring.

 

Fast-forward to the 2020-21 academic year, when he transferred to Oceanside Collegiate Academy. 

 

Ramey’s school may have changed, but not his success. He was a part of the Landshark program that won four consecutive state championships, including one in May when he was a team captain.

 

Ramey might have had six rings, if not for 2020, when the South Carolina High School League shut down the spring season when the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country.

 

Ramey said the 2020 Iron Horse team just might have been the best team that didn’t win a title because of the pandemic.

 

“The 2019 team had players who played tennis in college,” said Ramey, who began his tennis career when he was 5 years old. “The 2020 team might have been a little better. That team could have competed against any team in the country.”

 

But change was on the way. His brother, JT, attended Oceanside Collegiate Academy and had a positive experience in both academics and athletics. He graduated in 2020.

 

“It provided what I needed,” Ramey said. “They had shorter school days, so I could focus on tennis as well.”

 

The transition proved to be the correct one, as he posted a 5.0 GPA and was near the top 10 academically in the OCA Class of 2024. And, he was a part of four state championship teams.

 

That included a state title in the just completed season. The Landsharks went undefeated in the regular season and cruised to the Class AA state championship with a 6-0 victory over Christ Church in Florence.

 

Ramey was the only Landshark senior who played in Florence. 

 

He was the No. 5 singles player for OCA and posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory.

 

But Ramey provided more than talent. He was a team leader and a captain of the team.

 

“Before matches, I would talk to the team, motivate them,” Ramey said. “I wanted them to know what was at stake.”

 

Ramey’s performance at state brought his state championship haul to five.

 

“I wasn’t planning on winning five state championships when I started,” Ramey said. “I didn’t know Oceanside Collegiate would be that good. I feel I had a very positive experience. I don’t know many kids who won five state championships.”

 

Ramey will matriculate to Clemson University. He is considering playing tennis at the club level, but his highly competitive days on the court are over.

 

“My brother went there, and I have been going to Clemson forever, watching football and basketball games. It’s going to be a great experience.”