EASTERN DIVISION East Hamilton, Hunter, Brown, East Ridge, CSLA, Ooltewah Left to Right FRONT: Zoey Burgner, Jessica Lance, Maddie Morrison, Brooke Cherwonuk, Connor Lloyd, Aarav Amin, Aarav Patel, David Culp, Thea Spotts, Chloie Marshall, Chitra Karunanithi, Allie Little, Corielle Wimberly BACK: Mackenize Twitty, Emma Schnitzer, Wilder Prophater, Joshua Kilgore, Noah Smith, Jocelyn Rocka, Warren Houseman, Gage Haley, Addysen Thompson, Luke Stpeney, Matthew Conner, Ryan Matthews, James Harris, CJ Kolling
Hixson, Loftis, Redbank, Signal Mountain, Soddy Daisy, CSAS Right to Left FRONT: Ethan Porterfield, Jaren Guadarrama, Payne Hurst, Paige Martin, Addi Daniel, Sydnee Binter MIDDLE: Skylar Julian, Emily Flippo, Nikhil Singh, Will M, Addison Jones, Cassidy Pawson BACK: Ben Cunningham, Nick Gibson, Clay Cooper, Amelia Sisson, Sophie Bruce, Xavier Willis, Max Murphy, Brentiea Rodger
The sun was shining and tennis balls were flying when 150 middle school students from all over Hamilton County pounced on Champions Tennis Club for the district tennis tournament. All sides of the county were represented with boys and girls singles as well as boys and girls doubles teams playing one another. Players did an excellent job of keeping score and calling lines. Sportsmanship has been a priority with all coaches throughout the county.
There were forty students playing girls and boys singles. The girl’s singles draw began with twenty players. The final match was between two East Hamilton teammates. Hurricane’s Jessica Lance and Zoey Burgner have practiced together for two years; however, the finals of the district tournament is a little different match. Jessica Lance, a seventh grader, defeated Zoey Burgner, an eighth grader in the finals of the tournament. The boy’s draw final match was between CSAS’s Ethan Porterfield against Signal Mountain’s Clay Cooper. Mr. Cooper played a long semi-final match while Mr. Porterfield had plenty of time to rest. Ethan Porterfield defeated Clay Cooper in the finals.
There were almost 80 players competing in the girl’s and boy’s doubles draw. The girl’s doubles final was an all Signal Mountain event. Sophie Bruce and Amelia Sisson of Signal Mountain played Katie Barcat and Kate Otley of Signal Mountain. These ladies have played each other more times than we know; however, in the finals of the district tournament Bruce and Sisson won for the Eagles. The boy’s final was between a Signal Mountain team of Nick Gibson and Will Mitchell against a CSLA team of Wilder Prophater and Joshua Kilgore. Signal Mountain had two teams in the semifinals; therefore, they had a plenty of good practice to prepare for their matches. Gibson and Mitchell of Signal defeated the CSLA team of Prophater and Kilgore in the finals of the district tournament.
The district middle school tennis tournament is always a promising and hopeful event for tennis in Chattanooga. Each year coaches hope to increase the number of players as well as increase the number of schools who participate. Tennis is a wonderful way for students from all over Hamilton County to be able to compete independently in a civil manner and learn skills they will use for the rest of their lives.
Results:
BOYS DOUBLES WINNERS: Signal Mountain’s Nick Gibson & Will Mitchell and CSLA’s Wilder Prophater & Joshua Kilgore
GIRLS DOUBLES WINNERS: Signal Mountain’s Sophie Bruce & Amelia Sisson and Signal Mountain’s Katie Barcat & Kate Otley
GIRLS SINGLES WINNERS: East Hamilton’s Zoey Burgner & Jessica Lance
BOYS SINGLES WINNERS: CSAS’s Ethan Porterfield and Signal Mountain’s Clay Cooper