The Jefferson City Lady Jays tennis team is going back to the Class 2 state tournament.
The Lady Jays clinched the Class 2 District 8 championship Wednesday with a 5-0 win against the Helias Lady Crusaders at Washington Park.
Jefferson City was the No. 1 seed in the district. Helias was the No. 2 seed.
In doubles play, Sandhiya Baskar and Sudhi Kumar won 8-6 against Jessica Cowley and Lainie Mantle, while Akhi Donthireddy and Madelyn Becker won 8-1 against Kylie Bernskoetter and Carley Drinkard. The Lady Jays increased their lead to 3-0 when Bailey Higgins and Jaden Harper won 8-3 against Mya Bremer and Olivia Schroeder.
Lauren Statler defeated Macy Markway 6-0, 6-0 to start singles play. Jefferson City clinched the match when Becker picked up a 6-3, 6-0 win against Drinkard.
The Lady Jays were also ahead in the remaining four singles matches when play was stopped. Baskar led Cowley 6-1, 3-0, Donthireddy led Bremer 6-1, 4-3, Kumar led Bernskoetter 6-4, 1-1, and Harper led Mantle 6-2, 5-1.
Helias ends its season in dual competition with a 13-7 record.
Jefferson City (14-8), which also won district titles in six straight seasons from 2012-17, will play the winner of District 6 - either Parkway Central (8-7) or Parkway North (9-5) - in the sectional round Saturday, Oct. 19. The District 6 championship will be played today.
The District 6 champion will host the sectional and quarterfinal rounds as well. The other sectional match will be District 5 champion Hazelwood West (8-6) against District 7 champion Timberland (16-0).
Jefferson City and Helias will both compete in individual district play Saturday at the Crusader Athletic Complex.