Notre Dame place winners.
In a match filled with emotion and momentum changes, the Boyd Buchanan girls and Hixson boys won three set doubles matches Monday at the Champions Club and qualify for the Spring Fling state tournament.
Other winners were Charles Jabaley (Notre Dame, Region 4) and Alex Condra (Hixson, Region 3) in boys singles, Christina Amos (Boyd Buchanan, Region 3) and Jordan Berrios (Central Magnet, Region 4) in girls’ singles and doubles winners in J.R.Davis-Andrew Lisy (Notre Dame, Region 4) and Sarah Joyce-Sarah Faith Ingell (Notre Dame, Region 4)
Region 3 Girls Final: Katie DeLay-Makenna Thomas (Boyd Buchanan) def.
Emily Witt-Mattie Sue Nafie (Collegedale), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Up a set and up 4-1 in the second, the Boyd Buchanan girls had their nerves take over according to senior Katie DeLay. “We lost our focus when we had the big lead,” said DeLay.
The Collegedale team of Emily Witt and Mattie Sue Nafie won the final five games to take the second set after losing the first, 6-4.
“During the break after the second set we talked about staying focused and having fun in the third set,” said senior MaKenna Thomas who was all smiles after the win.
Leading 4-3 in the final, but trailing 15-40 in the eighth game, the Bucs duo then won seven straight points to gain the victory.
“This year is the right time for us as seniors to play doubles together so we can go to state in our final year of high school tennis,” said DeLay who played singles in the state in 2014.
Region 3 Boys Final: Jason Goforth-Carl Phillips (Hixson) def. Jameson Mench-Hunter Hoskins (Silverdale), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
The key to this win actually occurred last year as Hixson played in the state tournament and Goforth and Phillips were on team.
“We have learned to stay cool during the tight points this year which I didn’t always do last year during the state tourney,” said Phillips. “We have to be more consistent.”
Phillips was able to stay focused even after an MCL pull in his left knee during warm-ups of the semis causing him to play on one strong leg through five sets.
Familiar Faces: Longtime CSAS coach Jerry Pate and former Chattanooga Central coach Jack Mitchell were on hand for today’s matches.
Pate coached at CSAS for 25 years, retiring after the 2012 season and is back as the Patriots head coach again this year.
“The school needed a coach in late January so I said I would help,” said Pace. “I will be the head coach, but will re-evaluate things after each season.
Region 4
Boys Singles
Semifinals
Charles Jabaley (ND) def. Jacob Harbin (Macon County) forfeit win
John Gruffith (Macon County) def. Grant Williams (Signal Mtn), 6-2, 6-3
Championship: Jabaley (ND) def. Gruffith (MC), 6-0, 6-2
Girls Singles
Semifinals
Jordan Berrios (Central Magnet) def. Olivia Torbett (CCS), 7-5, 6-3
Bowie Strozak (ND) def. Laurel Tipps (Central Magnet), 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
Championship: Berrios (Central Magnet) def. Strozak (ND), 6-2, 6-1
Boys Doubles
Semifinals
J.R.Davis-Andrew Lisy (ND) def. Tripp McEachen-Luke Jenkins (Goodpasture), 6-0,6-0
Jason Morris-Luke Blentlinger (Signal Mtn.) def. Grayson Gore-Reed Gore (Central Magnet), 7-5, 6-2
Championship: Davis-Lisy (ND) def. Morris-Blentlinger (Sig Mtn), 6-2, 7-5
Girls Doubles
Semifinals
Sarah Joyce-Sarah Faith Ingell (Notre Dame) def. Mary Welch-Autumn Puckett (MH), 6-1,6-0
Lou Phillips-Kylie Scruggs (Goodpasture) def. Sarah Kate Bailey-Mary Elizabeth Wakim (Signal Mtn), 6-3, 6-3
Championship: Joyce-Ingell (ND) def. Phillips-Scruggs (Goodpature), 6-2, 6-3
Region 3
Boys Singles
Semifinals
Alex Condra (Hixson) def. Visaal Ambalam (CSAS), 6-1,6-0
Josh Fisher (Grace) def. Daniel Cox (Red Bank)
Championship: Alex Condra (Hixson) def. Josh Fisher (Grace) 6-2, 6-1
Girls Singles
Semifinals
McKaylah Hicks (Silverdale) def. Yasmine Foster (Brainerd), 6-3, 6-2
Christina Amos (Boyd Buchanan) def. Alex Bonner (Chattanooga Central), 6-1, 6-3
Championship: Christina Amos (Boyd Buchanan) def. McKaylah (Silverdale), 6-3, 6-1
Boys Doubles
Semifinals
Carl Phillips-Landon Goforth (Hixson) def. Drake Christensen-Austin Harkleroad (Silverdale), 6-3, 6-1
Jameson Mench-Hunter Hoskins (Silverdale) def. Cody Schmidt-Josh Reed (Red Bank), 6-4, 6-4
Championship: Carl Phillips-Landon Goforth (Hixson) def. Jameson Mench-Hunter Hoskins (Silverdale), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Girls Doubles
semifinals
Emily Witt-Mattie Sue Nafie (Collegedale) def. Brittany Canty-Brianna Canty (Brainerd), 6-4, 6-2
Makenna Thomas-Katie DeLay (Boyd-Buchanan) def. Linnea Lantz-Rachel Thornbury (Red Bank) 6-0, 6-1
Championship: MaKenna Thomas-Katie DeLay (Boyd Buchanan) def. Emily Witt-Sue Nafie (Collegedale) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Region Champs on to Spring Fling
Region 3
Boys Singles
Alex Condra (Hixson)
Year: Junior … GPA: 4-0
Favorite Subject: English ... enjoys the structure and enjoys writing
Math … good with numbers
Ranked No.1 in his class … taking AP Literature, Latin I, AP U.S. History, AP Chemistry, Honors Pre-Calculus
Girls Singles
Christina Amos
Year: Sophomore … GPA: 4.17
Favorite Subject: Math … “I am good at numbers”
Toughest Subject: English
“It’s an honor to have qualified for the state and I give the credit to the Lord.”
Boys Doubles
Landon Goforth-Carl Phillips (Hixson)
Landon Goforth
Year: Junior
Favorite Subject: U.S. History … “I enjoy knowing the history our country and the sacrifices by so many in various wars.”
Toughest Subject: Physics
Did You Know: Landon was the state wrestling runner-up in A-AA in February
Carl Phillips
Year: Junior
Favorite Subject: Physical Education
Toughest Subject: Chemistry
Did You Know?: Carl suffered a aforementioned MCL pull in his left knee in warm ups before the semifinals … and played five sets on an injured leg … lots of ice between tonight and the Friday night state quarters vs. Signal Mountain 6:30 p.m. at Hixson Racquet Club.
Girls Doubles
Katie DeLay-Makenna Thomas
Katie Delay
Year: Senior … GPA: 4.14
Only B she has ever made is AP Calculus this semester
Favorite Subject: Biology
College: Lipscomb Univ. will study to be a pharmacist
McKenna Thomas
Year: Senior … GPA: 3.5
Favorite Subject: English … enjoys writing
Toughest Subject: any science course
College: Auburn
Region 4
Boys Singles
Charles Jabaley (Notre Dame):
Year: Senior … GPA: 3.6
College: plans to walk on at either Austin Peay or Tenn. Tech ... will make a decision during next week’s Spring Fling state tournament
College Major: Communications, public relations
Favorite Subject: English, writing
Did You Know: Charles broke his foot Dec. 14, the day before his birthday, but has fully recovered
State Champ: He and teammate J.R. Davis won the state doubles in 2014
Girls Singles
Jordan Berrios (Central Magnet)
Year: Junior … GPA: 3.7
Favorite Subject: Physics … “It is fun because it is so difficult.”
Boys Doubles
J.R. Davis-Andrew Lisy (Notre Dame)
J.R. Davis:
Year: Junior … GPA: 3.7
Did You Know?: he had surgery on both knees (Nov.-Feb.) and has been playing for less than a month
State Champs: He and Charles Jabaley won the A-AA state doubles title in 2014
Andrew Lisy:
Year: Soph. …. GPA: 4.0 never has made a B
Favorite Subject: Sciences
Girls Doubles
Sarah Joyce-Sarah Faith Ingell (Notre Dame)
Sarah Joyce
Year: Sr. … GPA: 3.75
College: Tennessee … Major: Nutrition
Favorite Subject: Anatomy and Physiology
Sarah Faith Ingell
Year: Sophomore … GPA: 4.33
Favorite Subject: Environmental Science
Other Activities: member of the dance team for football games
Did You Know: She made her only B since first grade as a seventh grader in seminar and “I had to do extra chores around the house before I was allowed to play tennis or other activities,” said Ingell with a sheepish grin.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net