Did they or didn’t they?

That was the lingering question after Becahi’s Shannon Stewart hit a close winner during the third set of the District XI Class 2A Doubles Tennis Championship on Oct. 21 at Saucon Valley High School.

“We froze,” said Stewart’s partner Cara Magliochetti, “and looked and looked at each other, so when the official called it in, we freaked out.”

Stewart and Magliochetti were crowned district doubles champs after defeating Moravian Academy’s Isabella Bartolacci and Jamilie Atiyeh, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

“It’s great, so exciting, especially because we never played doubles together before,” Magliochetti said.

Throughout the district tournament, Stewart and Magliochetti knocked off their opponents relatively easily, defeating a pair from Salisbury, 6-0, 6-0, a pair from Moravian Academy, 6-1, 6-3, and another pair from Salisbury, 6-1, 6-0.

“Those matches prepared us and gave us confidence,” said Magliochetti. “We knew Bella and Jamilie had longer matches with longer points, and we knew they would be tired, but Bella was really aggressive at the net, and Jamilie was solid at the baseline, so we had to take that into consideration.”

After winning the first set and losing the second, Stewart and Magliochetti prepared themselves for a fresh start in the third.

“We were more consistent, more patient, and we set up points for opportunities,” Magliochetti said.

Magliochetti and Stewart advance to the PIAA State Doubles Tennis Tournament, scheduled to have begun this week when their first opponent will be Delco Christian at Northwood Racquet Club in Easton.