Alex Lehman. (Chris Lee/P-D)

After John Burroughs junior Alex Lehman won the Missouri Class 1 singles championship last month, beating Amy Barnthouse 6-1, 6-1, Barnthouse's mother asked the girls to pose together for a photo.

"We will have this picture to show off with Amy playing against the girl who competed at Wimbledon," Dorothy Barnthouse said.

Wimbledon is certainly a long way off, but Lehman indeed has shown herself the past two seasons to be the premier high school player in Missouri — and, this season, the Post Dispatch's girls tennis player of the year.

She won her second consecutive state title this year, losing just eight games in her four matches at state. Lehman defeated the No. 1, 2 and 3 players from the top team in the state, Notre Dame de Sion, during the weekend.

"I have some very good high school players on my team," Notre Dame de Sion coach Bill Munninghoff said. "But Alex's game is just more complete than any player around. She is multi-dimensional.

"The kids like to play her because she is such a good sport on the court. I really like her court demeanor. She seems to be relaxed, although that might have to do with the fact she is not often challenged."

Lehman has lost just one match in her high school career; she fell to Taylor Fournier of Blue Valley North this season. Every one of her other victories the past two years, including a pair this year over 2006 Class 2 champion Misia Kedzierski of St. Joseph's Academy, were in straight sets.

Burroughs coach Steve Beauchamp considers Lehman's best shot to be her down-the-line backhand. "But her biggest strength may be her knowledge of the game," he said. "She is such a smart player. A good football coach makes halftime adjustments. Alex makes adjustments during a match to take advantage of her opponent's weakness."

And, of course, it helps that she has the different shots to make those adjustments.

Lehman has loved competing in high school the past two seasons at Burroughs, which finished third in 2005 and second this year.

"I love the relaxed atmosphere of high school tennis," she said. "It is not as intense as the Valley season. I also love being a part of a team."

And Burroughs might be better than ever next year with the addition of Lehman's little sister, Sydney, a highly ranked Missouri Valley player.

"It's going to be so much fun playing with Sydney," Lehman said. "I can't wait. We are going to be tough to beat."

Beauchamp, who also returns top players Katie Smith and Emily Smith, has high expectations for the 2008 season.

"All that is left for Alex to do is to help the team to a championship and to play her little sister for the individual title," he said.

A trip to Wimbledon may be a dream, but don't bet against a Bombers team title and a Lehman vs. Lehman state singles championship match in 2008.

prepsports@post-dispatch.com