Jr. high athletes end year at district tennis tourney
Albany Junior High tennis players placed in six of eight draws last week at the district tournament, earning five titles.
The tournament was played Thursday-Friday, May 2-3 at Rose Park Tennis Center in Abilene. Girls played Thursday and boys Friday.
“We had to move the dates because of conflicts with the academic banquet and high school having to leave for regional,” coach M.J. Reneau said. “I haven’t received team scores so I don’t know if we won the overall. If we didn’t, it was pretty close.”
Both days were hampered by weather with the eighth grade girls doubles final postponed to Friday and two boys matches abandoned because of lightning.
In girls competition, Hattie Fikes won seventh grade singles, with Hailey Gleitz and Tinley Hefner topping Keeley Britting and Avery Gleitz in seventh grade doubles. The eighth grade doubles pair of Finlee Brownand Charli Trail won the delayed final in that draw.
On Friday, the eighth grade doubles team of Clay Chapman and Aiden Vickers and seventh grade singles player Levi Murphy claimed titles. Jathan Perez placed second and Adric Willis fourth in seventh grade singles behind Murphy, with Slayten Kelly second and Seth Barrett third in eighth grade singles.
Albany did not have any entries in eighth grade girls singles or seventh grade boys doubles.
“We had a really good year,” Reneau said. “This year was a little shorter – we only had three weeks, but during that three weeks we were able to get a lot of practice in. It’s a really talented group.”
DISTRICT TOURNAMENT At Rose Park TC, Abilene GIRLS SEVENTH GRADE SINGLES Hattie Fikes def. Hawley, 6-0.
DOUBLES
Keeley Britting-Avery Gleitz def. Hawley, 6-0; Hailey Gleitz-Tinley Hefner def. Stamford, 6-0; Keeley Britting-Avery Gleitz def. Stamford, 6-1; Hailey Gleitz-Tinley Hefner def. Keeley Britting-Avery Gleitz. 6-2.
EIGHTH GRADE DOUBLES
Finlee Brown-Charli Trail def. Hawley, 6-0; Finlee Brown-Charli Trail def. Hawley, 6-0; Finlee Brown-Charli Trail def. Hawley, 6-3.
BOYS SEVENTH GRADE SINGLES
Levi Murphy def. Adric Willis, 6-0; Jathan Perez def. Halwley, 6-0; Levi Murphy def. Jathan Perez, 6-3; Adric Willis lost to Hawley, 3-6.
EIGHTH GRADE SINGLES
Slayten Kelly def. Stamford, 6-1; Seth Barrett def. Hawley, 6-4; Seth Barrett lost to Stamford, 1-6; Slayten Kelly def. Hawley, 6-0; Seth Barrett def. Hawley, 2-0, lightning; Slayten Kelly lost to Stamford, 0-4, lightning.
DOUBLES
ClayChapman-AidenVickers def. Hawley, 6-2; Chapman-Vickers def. Stamford, 6-1.
