The Cumberland County and Stone Memorial High School tennis teams came up big last week at the District Tennis Tournament in Cookeville.
Cumberland County made waves in the girls singles division, while Stone Memorial picked up victories in the girls and boys divisions.
Molly Neal, playing the No. 1 singles position for Cumberland County, opened the tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over White County’s Lilly White. She followed that up with a victory over DeKalb County’s Candice Ryo. She won 6-2,6-0.
But then Neal went up against one of the state’s premier players in Cookeville’s Emmy Bragga. Neal battled well, but lost the first set 2-6. She tried to regroup, but still came up short, losing 2-6.
“Molly lost the match, but I thought she played some of the best tennis she’s ever played,” said Cumberland County coach David Walker. “Emmy Bragga was just a little bit better, and I think she will make a deep run in the state meet.”
Raine Waverka of Cumberland County made it to the second round of the district tournament.
Waverka opened with a victory over Upperman’s Paxton Watson. She won the first set 6-2 and followed that with a 6-2 victory in the second set. Waverka lost her next match, dropping a 1-6, 2-6 decision to Jillian Apple of Cookeville.
The Stone Memorial girls also fared well in the singles competition. Sydney Rally and Courtney Calhoun shined against some tough opponents.
Rally opened the tournament with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Allie Nelson of Livingston Academy. She couldn’t sustain the top level play as she dropped a 0-6, 1-6 loss to Cookeville’s Bragga.
Calhoun couldn’t seem to generate much offense in her opening match. Marian Swindell proved to be too much and beat Calhoun, 6-2, 6-4.
In doubles play, Stone Memorial was represented by Bryleigh Peterson and Candace Colvard, and Elliana Peterson and Ellie Turner Riggs.
Bryleigh Peterson and Colvard got a win in their first tournament match. They teamed up to beat Ezra Grant and Julie Thompson of Livingston by a score of 6-4, 6-1. But the glory was short-lived as the Stone duo lost in its next match, 1-6,1-6 to Abby Graves and Landen Calen of Warren County.
Stone’s Elliana Peterson and Turner Riggs lost their opener 1-6, 3-6 to Cookeville’s Ella Brown and Danica Dyal.
In the boys division, the Panthers had Ben Brogden and Sean Esper competing in the singles action.
Brogden lost his opener to Upperman’s Jake Nelson by a score of 4-6, 2-6. Esper dropped a 2-6, 2-6 decision to White County’s John Durfee.
Caleb Collard and Brandon Tung reached the second round of the boys doubles division for Stone Memorial. They beat Malachi Robbins and Nick McCloud of DeKalb County. However, they lost in the next round to Cookeville’s Cade Smith and Joseph Norman by scores of 0-6, 0-6.
Stone’s other doubles team of Alex Padgett and Hayden Houston were knocked off in the first round by Livingston Academy’s Elijah Pryor and Miles Bullock. The score was 3-6, 4-6.