MURFREESBORO - One can call it “Red Wednesday” at Old Fort Park Tennis Complex as the Baylor boys tennis team won their first state title in 19 years with a 4-2 win against defending champion Memphis University School here today.
Two hours earlier the Baylor girls registered a 6-peat (6 straight titles, 2011-2016) with a 4-0 victory of Hutchison in a Memphis-Chattanooga battle in boys and girls finals.
Double Your Pleasure: It’s also the first time since 1996 that both Baylor programs won tennis championships in the same year and the third time overall also taking both trophies home in 1993 and this year.
“Coming into the season, we knew we had a good shot at winning the state title and we worked hard all season,” said Baylor boys coach Philip Johnson. “It’s great for the guys to get a title after all the hard work the past few years.”
Led by captains Patrick Toomey and Matthew Elias, the Red Raiders captured the doubles point then gained the necessary three singles wins for the championship.
“This (winning the state championship) is the greatest feeling I have ever had on a tennis court,” said Toomey who is also successful in the classroom with a 3.9 GPS and a member of National Honor Society and is headed to Michigan in the fall.
Never, Never Quit: “Elias was a B-teamer for us the past three years, but worked real hard and earned a spot at No.6 singles this year and great that he won his match today in his final high school match,” said coach Johnson.
“We knew at the start of the season we had a real shot at winning the state championship which really helped us bond together,” said Elias who has a 3.88 GPA, scored 32 on the ACT, and a member of the National Honor Society and Cum Laude.
Baylor 4, MUS 0
Doubles (Baylor wins the team point)
1 Andres Carro-Frederick Danielson (MUS) def. Pat Toomey-Alec Kadrie, 8-4
2. Cooper Long-Ryan Toomey (Bay) def. Andrew Douglas-Kirk Ruaro, 8-2
3. Brandon Kali-Ethan Palisoc (Bay) def. Weston Touliatos-Jack Powell, 8-4
Singles
3 Cooper Long (Bay) def. Andrew Douglass, 6-4, 6-1
4 Brandon Kali (Bay) def. Sloan Schneiter, 6-1, 6-0
6 Matthew Elias (Bay) def. Jack Powell, 6-2, 6-3
Today's Team Champions
Girls
D-II AA - Baylor . has won 6 in a row ... 10 overall
D-II A Knox Webb .. has won 7 in a row . 13 overall
D-I A-AA - Knox Catholic... also won it all in 2008 and 2014
D-I AAA - Brentwood ... beat 5-time defending state champ Ravenwood
Boys
D-II AA Baylor wins for first time in 19 years .... both teams win together first time since 1996
D-II A - USJ .. last won it in 2009 ... runner-up in 2013-14-15
D-I A-AA - Lipscomb Academy - first title since 1972 with No.1 player Gary Dunn .. who won 3 singles and 2 dbles in five years and led Lipscomb to titles in 1969-70-72 . current coach is Lynn Griffith from Chattanooga who played No.1 at Tyner graduating in 1972 ...
D-I AAA - Tenn. Hi .. 4-peat
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net