penn-Trafford's mia williams Writes championship story at piaa class 3A girls tennis tournament

Congratulations to the 2025 PIAA 3A Girls Tennis Singles Medalists! □ pic.twitter.com/lJeGqYMUpY

— PIAA (@PIAASports) November 1, 2025

Mia Williams spent every Friday this fall covering high school football games for the Pennsylvania Football News. The Penn-Trafford senior girls tennis standout logged many miles documenting the accomplishments of others.

Williams had everyone stop and take note by making news of her own Saturday at the Hershey Racquet Club. Williams knocked off West Chester Henderson freshman Erika Dunwoody in straight sets 6-3, 6-0 to claim the PIAA Class 3A title.

She became the first WPIAL Class AAA singles player to win the state title since North Allegheny’s Ashley Huang won in 2017. Williams, who was the WPIAL runner-up, had never made it past the state quarterfinals in her past three appearances.

“I think a lot of people didn’t have me as their favorite to win this weekend, but I definitely believed I could and so did my corner of coaches and friends, so that was enough for me,” Williams said. 

Williams burst onto the state tennis scene as a freshman when she won the WPIAL. In the three years that followed, Williams was tripped at the same hurdle.

Williams made it back to the WPIAL final each season, but lost to Shady Side Academy’s Meriwether McCargo. Dunwoody eliminated McCargo in the second round, winning 6-4, 6-3.

In this season’s WPIAL final, McCargo beat Williams 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

“The WPIAL loss was definitely not fun this year so to come out here and win like this was fantastic and a surreal experience,” Williams said. “I just had this mindset of going out there and leaving everything on the table and just enjoying it. It worked out.”

Taking out the champs
On Williams’ way to the final, she beat three district champions. Williams upended District 11 champion Parkland's Alexandria Warsing in the first round, and District 10 champion Fairview's Grace Liu in the quarterfinals.

To reach the state final, Williams beat the defending state champion, District 6 winner Central Mountain’s Addison Lindsay.

Williams won all of those matches in straight sets. She had to win a tiebreak in the semifinal before prevailing 7-6 (4), 6-4.

“They were all tough matches,” Williams said. “When you get to the state level, everyone is good. Everyone can compete, so you can’t ever really take a match off. All four girls I played this weekend were fantastic players and they all forced me to play my best tennis.”

Grabbing the crown
Williams said she felt the most nerves before the final match. She was taking on another player who found success as a youngster.
Dunwoody, who was the second seed out of District 1, wasn’t able to grab a set.

“I think the pressure was definitely the highest at the finals because of the situation, but they were all tough matches,” Williams said. 

Williams, who celebrated post match by getting a giant chocolate bar from Hershey’s Chocolate World, will play tennis at Division III Skidmore (N.Y.) College next year. Having a state title win going into next season is a major boost.

“It makes me excited for college tennis,” Williams said. “I mean I love to play tennis, win, lose, practice or a match, but it makes me excited to be in college where the level will be like this weekend at every match.”

​Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @JoshRizzo.