Sometimes the best stories aren't about perfection—they're about how you respond when perfection slips just out of reach.
For Clay High School's doubles duo of Jason Wang and Taylor Culbertson, the goal set by head coach Bobby Blanton was clear: go undefeated in the regular season during the 2026 campaign. They came close, but close wasn't enough for this determined pair. Instead of dwelling on what could have been, they channeled that hunger into the Southern Ohio Conference Tennis Tournament at Shawnee State University.
Over two days of intense competition, Wang and Culbertson didn't just win—they dominated. The No. 1 seeds swept through the bracket without dropping a single set across all six contested matches, ultimately capturing the 2026 SOC Doubles Championship title.
"It feels great," Wang said after the victory. "We really didn't think we'd beat a larger school like Wheelersburg coming in. Last season, we barely beat New Boston by the skin of our teeth, and this year, we were able to beat Wheelersburg, of all schools. We have a ton of respect for them and all of the schools in our conference."
The championship match was the rubber match in a season-long rivalry against Wheelersburg's Schomburg and Billiter. The two teams split their regular-season meetings, with the road team winning on both occasions. Schomburg and Billiter took the first encounter 6-2, 7-5 in a tiebreaker on April 16, but Culbertson and Wang avenged that loss on May 1 at Wheelersburg.
"They beat us in a good match," Culbertson reflected. "Like I've said, nothing good's ever perfect. There's always going to be a mistake or a learn in there, whether the record indicates that or not."
That learning mindset paid off. Just six days after their regular-season revenge win, the duo stepped onto the championship court and delivered another straight-set triumph, holding serve in a back-and-forth battle that showcased their growth as a team.
The journey to the title was a testament to their commitment. "We practiced all throughout the summer, fall and spring, in addition to a little in the winter," Wang said. "It's been 24/7, basically. We just love playing the sport. Tennis is fun for us."
Culbertson echoed that passion: "I took lessons and all types of stuff. We wanted to come in this year and win it. We wanted it bad this year. We just tried to put in as much work as we could into it. We just do it for fun and to have a good time. We just focus on that and know if we're doing that and working hard, the results will come."
Before the championship match, the duo earned an opening-round bye before steamrolling Waverly's Emmitt Price and Kale Osborne (6-0, 6-0) in the quarterfinals. They followed that with a 6-3, 6-2 semifinal win over West's Max Bell and Michael Grobowski to punch their ticket to the title match.
For Wang and Culbertson, the SOC Doubles Championship isn't just a trophy—it's proof that hard work, dedication, and a love for the game can turn near-perfection into something even sweeter.