players and coaches from Baylor celebrate with first place Rotary tennis plaque.
photo by Ned Caswell
Baylor girls tennis coach Dustin Kane knows the success in the big three – DecoTurf (2017 runner-up), Rotary (2017 champion) and the TSSAA state tourneys – starts with hard work each August.
“We have been preparing all fall and now in the spring and winning another Rotary title is a result of all the hard work,” said Kane. “We have a strong schedule so when we face tough teams and tough individual matches we are prepared to step up and win.”
And win the Red Raiders did as they claimed three singles titles and a pair of doubles first place medals for a winning 21 points while runners-up Knox Webb had two singles champs and 16 points followed by Mountain Brook in third with nine points in the 2017 Chattanooga Rotary Division A 8-team field on the Baylor School tennis courts..
Boys A: St. Xavier (Ky.) held off Mountain Brook, 19-15, for the Boys A title with a pair of doubles winners. MBA was third (13.5) and Baylor fourth (12) in the 8-team field.
Girls B: Spain Park edged St. Mary’s, 21.5 to 16 for the title with Chattanooga Christian (15.5) in third.
Boys B: Huntsville edged CAK, 19 to 15 for the title with Signal Mtn and Spain Park tied for third (10.5).
Girls A: Team Standings: Baylor (21), Knox Webb (16), Mtn. Brook (9), McCracken (7.5), GPS (7.5), Hutchison (7), Knox Catholic (6), Harpeth Hall (2.5).
Baylor – singles champs were Presley Thomas (No.2), Lauren Carelli (No. 4 – her third singles title) and Anna Hawkins (No.6), along with Carelli-Lilly Mooney (No.2) and Drew Hawkins-Landoin McBrayer (No.3) doubles.
Knox Webb. – Singles winners were Carina Dagotto (No.3) and Audrey Yoon (No5)
Baylor led 13 to 11.5 after Friday and won three head-to-head finals matches with Webb to help secure the win.
Four-Peat: McCracken’s Michele McKamey defeated Baylor’s Drew Hawkins, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 at No.1 for her record fouth straight singles win.
More Baylor Webb: the two teams have split two matches this season – Baylor won in DecoTurf and Webb won in Knoxville last week – and they meet again April 26 at Baylor.
Boys A: Team Standings - St. Xavier (19), Mtn Brook (15), MBA (13.5), Baylor (12), McCallie (6), Knox Webb (5.5), USJ (3.5), USN (2)
Mtn Brook made a run at the title Saturday morning winning all three head-to-head singles finals with leader St. Xavier to pull within a half point at 14 to 13.5 with doubles to play. But St. Xavier won semis and finals at Nos.1 and 2 doubles and a semis win at No.3 for five points, while Mtn Brook could gain only a half point by winning the No.1 conso doubles finals and lost in Saturday semis at Nos. 2 and 3.
Mtn Brook singles winners were David Faulkner (No.2), Chase Robinette (No.4) Alva Caine (No.6) – all three setters.
Boys B: Team Standings – Huntsville (19), CAK (15), Signal Mtn (10.5 tie), Spain Park (10.5), Knox Cathlic (7.5), Notre Dame (7), Randolph (5.5), McCracken (1.5)
Champion Huntsville had singles winners at Nos. 3, 5-6 and No.3 doubles .. Spain Park had three in the singles finals – two against Huntsville – and wins in all three would have pulled SP within one at 14-13 but lost all three … and also had no doubles finalists while Huntsville won three singles and one doubles for the win
Signal Mtn Individual Winner – singles – Gabe Williams (No.4)
Girls B … Team Standings: Spain Park (21.5), St. Mary’s (16), Chattanooga Christian (15.5), Huntsville (8), USN (7.5), Randolph (5.5), USJ (2.5), Chattanooga Notre Dame (2)
Spain Park left no doubt who was the best team winning four singles and two doubles crowns for the win.
CCS Individual Winner – singles – Olivia Underwood (No.4)
Kudos: To Knox Webb players who were the last to leave the Baylor courts Saturday afternoon .. coach Jimmy Pitkanen made sure they did a quick trash pick up of cans, bottles etc before receiving the second place plaque in Girls A.
Great Work: Another great weekend of efficiency by site managers at Baylor, GPS and McCallie .. along with tourney directors Jack Webb, Ward Nelson and Mary Cook who braved the cold weather Friday with a smile and kept the matches moving.... plus Beth Johns who made sure pre-tourney brackets were ready for all coaches and site directors Thursday
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net