State Tennis Preview

[bbb]

State Tennis Starts Tuesday

 

In the 51st year of the state high school tennis championship, the Chattanooga area has McCallie along with girls teams from Chattanooga Christian, St. Andrews-Sewanee and GPS back in defense of state titles Tuesday with semi-final matches in Murfreesboro, home of the five-sport Blue Cross Spring Fling XVI.

 

Boys teams from Science Hill, University School Nashville and Knox Catholic are also back to defend their crowns. The Siegel girls are the only 2008 champion not back to defend its title.

 

Two Sites - Old Fort Park and MTSU ??“ will be used for tennis this week.

 

Breakdown by Division (all times Central Daylight Time)

 

 

 

 

State Team Semis - Tuesday

 

Division I A-AA Girls': 2008 Champion: Chattanooga Christian

 

Site: Old Fort Park ??¦ 9 a.m. - Donaldson Christian vs. Univ. School Jackson; 11 a.m. - Chattanooga Christian vs. Christian Academy of Knoxville ??¦ CCS has won four straight and eight of 11 since D-I A-AA was formed in 1998 ??¦ Donaldson Christian won it in 2003 and USJ took the first title in 1998 ??¦ The CCS-CAK meeting is a re-match of the 2008 state final ??¦ CCS had to win both doubles to edge CAK, 4-3 ... CCS coach Sue Webb was an All-American at UTC ??¦ USJ is moving to D-II A next year.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 9 a.m. At Old Fort

 

Division 1 A-AA Boys': 2008 Champion: Knox. Catholic

 

Site: Old Fort Park ??¦ 1 p.m. - Chattanooga Notre Dame vs. Knox. Catholic; Univ School Jackson vs. Franklin Road Academy ??¦

 

In the battle of the Irish, Chattanooga Notre Dame boys face defending champion Knox Catholic ??¦ ND looks for its first boys tennis crown since 1964 ??¦ 45 years ago, one player, Chris Brown, with no coach, simultaneously won the state singles and team titles for Notre Dame (he was the first player to win three straight in singles, 1962-63-64) ??¦ Prior to 1988, the state team scoring was determined by a point for each singles and doubles match won ??¦ Brown won four singles matches in 1963 and four more in 1964 as the Irish tied Oak Ridge (1963) and Memphis Central (1964) for state supremacy ??¦ Today, teams compete in a 5 singles/2 doubles format with four points needed to win in the semis and finals.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 11 a.m. At Old Fort

 

Division 1 AAA Girls': 2008 Champion: Siegel

 

Site: MTSU ??¦ 9 a.m. - Cleveland vs. White Station; Science Hill vs. Ravenwood ??¦ Undefeated Cleveland (10-0) also competed in the state final four in 2000 (2nd) and 2001 (lost in semis) ??¦ The Blue Raiders defeated defending champion Siegel, 4-3, last Thursday in the sectional ??¦ Cleveland coach Elizabeth Davis played No.1 for Cleveland in 1996 and twice has been diagnosed with bone cancer in her right shoulder ??¦ The Blue Raiders have one senior in the top five ??¦ Science Hill and White Station also have their boys teams in the final four.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 9 a.m. at MTSU

 

Division 1 AAA Boys': 2008 Champion: Science Hill

 

Site: MTSU ??“ 11 a.m. - Science Hill vs. Siegel; Brentwood vs. White Station ??¦ Science Hill is the two-time defending state champion ??¦ Brentwood is the favorite ??¦ SH has all starters back from 2008, including state singles runner-up Chris Smith ??¦ Science Hill-Siegel is a re-match of 2007 final ...

 

In 2006, these same four met with Siegel defeating Brentwood ...

 

In past eight years, champions have been Brentwood (2005), Siegel (2006), SH (2002, 2007, 2008).

 

Finals: Wednesday, 11 a.m. At MTSU

 

Division II A Girls': 2008 Champion: St. Andrews-Sewanee

 

Site: MTSU ??¦ 1 p.m. - SAS vs. St. George's; Univ. School Nashville vs. Webb, Bell Buckle ??¦ SAS won the inaugurall D-II A title a year ago, but has lost twice to USN this spring ??¦ SAS is led by defending state singles champion Sadie Shackelford (9th grade) at No.1 and sister Avery Shackelford (11th grade) at No.2 ??¦ SAS coach Kelley Smith Black was a member of the Univ. of the South women's team which placed fourth in the nation (NCAA D-III).

 

Finals: Wednesday, 9 a.m. At MTSU

 

Division II A Boys': 2008 Champion: University School of Nashville

 

Site: MTSU ??¦ 5 p.m. Lausanne vs. Davidson Academy; Univ. School Nashville vs. St. George's ...

 

USN won the inaugural D-II A state title .. same four teams were in semis in 2008 ??¦ USN defeated Davidson Academy, 4-2.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 1 p.m. At MTSU

 

Division II AA Girls': 2008 Champion: GPS

 

Site: MTSU ??¦ 3 p.m. - GPS vs. Hutchison; Webb vs. Harpeth Hall ??¦ GPS goes for its fourth straight title ??¦ led by junior Sarah Evans at No.1 singles ??¦ Hutchison (10-0) out of Memphis and Webb, are the favorites .. Webb beat GPS, 4-2, for the region title ??¦ Webb is led by state doubles champions Guinn and Vicki Garcia ??¦ Webb moves down a classification next year, competing in D-II A ??¦ Hutchison is led by Hayly Humphries and Lee Leavell ??¦ Hutchison lost to Baylor in the 2007 semis and in the finals to GPS in 2008 ... GPS coach Sue Bartlett played for the recently crowned Great Britain 50s world championship senior women's team ??¦the last time GPS lost a match in state final four was to Webb in the 2005 final ??¦ the Bruisers have won a record nine state titles, while Webb has six ??¦ Webb senior and No.1 player Guinn Garcia was an 8th grader on that Spartan title team.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 11 a.m. at MTSU

 

Division II AA Boys': 2008 Champion: McCallie

 

Site: MTSU ??¦ 7 p.m. - McCallie vs. MUS; Webb vs. MBA ??¦ third straight year the same four teams have been in the final four ??¦ In the most balanced final four in years, Webb is the favorite ??¦ The Spartans beat MBA and then three-time defending state champion McCallie on the road, 4-2 ??¦ Webb is led by 2008 singles champion Brandon Fickey ??¦ The McCallie-MUS match is a re-match of the 2008 final won by McCallie, 4-2 ??¦ MUS is second all-time in team titles (13) behind Baylor (15) ??¦ McCallie has eight seniors on the squad, but only two ??“ Chris Schalabach and Thomas Fanjoy ??“ played in the 2008 tournament.

 

Finals: Wednesday, 1 p.m. At MTSU.

 

State Tennis History ??“ First 50 Years

 

Quick Facts:

 

Boys team tournament ran 1940-41-42, 1962-present ??¦ girls tournament started in 1964 ??¦

 

1940 ??“ West High School in Nashville won the first boys' title led by state singles champ Ken Young.

 

1964 ??“ David Lipscomb won the first girls' title led by state singles champ Lynn Gregory

 

Most Team Titles: Boys ??“ Baylor (15), MUS (13), McCallie (7), MBA (6)

 

Girls ??“ GPS (9), Chattanooga Christian (8), St. Mary's (6), Knox. Webb (6)

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

 

also posted on chattanoogan.com

[westtnman]

Congratulations to USJ Bruins Tennis ! State Champs ! Boys win 4-0 and Girls win 4-3.

[CheckerboardEndzones]

Congratulations to USJ Bruins Tennis ! State Champs ! Boys win 4-0 and Girls win 4-3.

 

 

Hutchison wins D2 AA Girls Championship 4-1 over Knoxville-Webb! Go Sting!

 

Congrats to USJ!