9 qualifiers prepare for tennis regionals
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions tennis team added three more regional qualifiers in two categories Friday, April 1 by winning playbacks at the District 10-2A tournament at Rose Park Tennis Center in Abilene, bringing the total to nine individuals.
Albany will have at least one entry in each draw for the Region II-2A tournament, which is scheduled for Monday-Tuesday, April 11-12 at Richland Tennis Center in North Richland Hills. Five of those entries are repeat regional qualifiers.
At the district tournament, which started Monday, March 28, nine of 10 Albany entries won at least one match to reach the semifinals with six playing for championships. The Lions swept the boys, girls, and overall team championships with four first-place finishes, two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes.
In Friday’s playbacks, Sidney Russell defeated Anson’s Mattie Dollar 6-0, 6-0 to return to regional in girls singles. Also, the boys doubles pair of Luke Ivy and Cooper Fairchild advanced by beating teammates Keatin Russell and Cason Fairchild 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to return to regional.
Other repeat qualifiers are Sarah Cotter in girls singles, Susie Cormack and Ella Webb in girls doubles, and Jaci Chapman and Mikey Hernandez in mixed doubles.
Qualifying for the first time was Luke Marshall in boys singles. Brayden Watson, who qualified last year, was denied a chance to return to regional when he was forced to retire from his semifinal match because of illness.
In the JV division at the district tournament, Albany girls swept the girls doubles division, with Callan Edgar and Chloe Daugherty taking first, Robyn Trail and Leddie Leech second, and Brooklyn Abbate and Cambree Clegg third.
Austin Sanchez was third in JV boys singles.
Complete district results for the varsity are as follows:
Girls Singles
Sarah Cotter had a bye in the first round; defeated Mattie Dollar, Anson, 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals; defeated Sidney Russell, Albany, 6-0, 6-1 in the finals for the championship.
Sidney Russell defeated B. Pippen, Anson, 6-0, 6-1; defeated Chloe Ratheal, Stamford, 6-0, 6-0; lost to Sarah Cotter, Albany, 6-0, 6-1 in the finals; defeated Mattie Dollar, Anson, 6-0, 6-0, in the playback to qualify for regional.
Boys Singles
Luke Marshall defeated Alexander Ponce, Stamford, 6-0, 6-0; defeated L. Dollar, Anson, 6-0, 6-0; defeated Conner Anaya, Cisco, 6-0, 6-0 in the finals for the championship.
Brayden Watson defeated Hunter Crim, Hawley, 6-4, 6-0; lost to Conner Anaya, Cisco, 6-1, 4-0 retired (illness).
Girls Doubles
Susie Cormack and Ella Webb defeated Holt-Carver, Stamford, 6-0, 6-0; defeated Overby-Burke, Anson, 6-1, 6-2; defeated Guitierrez-Bevel, Stamford, 6-2, 6-1 in the finals for the championship.
Chelsy Parsons and Maci Hatchett lost to Guitierrez-Bevel, Stamford, 6-2, 6-3.
Boys Doubles
Luke Ivy and Cooper Fairchild defeated Olsen-Watson, Stamford, 6-1,6-1; lost to Patanpatan-Patanpatan, Hawley, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4; defeated Cumpton-Knight, Hawley, 6-3, 6-7, 6-0 for third place; defeated Russell-Fairchild, Albany, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 in the playback to qualify for regional.
Keatin Russell and Cason Fairchild defeated Ekdahl-Shoemaker, Stamford, 7-5, 5-7, 6-1; defeated Cumpton-Knight, Hawley, 6-4, 7-5; lost to Patanpatan-Patanpatan, Hawley, 6-0, 6-2 in the finals, lost to Ivy-Fairchild, Albany, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 in the playback.
Mixed Doubles
Jaci Chapman and Mikey Hernandez defeated Burleson-Frazier, Hawley, 6-4, 6-0; defeated Cantu-Koenig, Stamford, 6-0, 6-2; defeated Patterson-Vega, Stamford, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 in the finals for the championship.
Abi Hale and Jake Hale defeated Hernandez-Miles, Hawley, 6-0, 6-3; lost to Patterson-Vega, Stamford, 6-2, 6-3; defeated Cantu-Koenig, Stamford, 6-1, 6-4, for third place.
