State Tennis Team Titles on the Line Today

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Led by Notre Dame’s first appearance in the state tennis finals in 46 years, six Chattanooga area teams play for state championships Wednesday at Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro.

 

Joining Notre Dame in the finals are Baylor boys’ and girls’ teams, GPS, St. Andrews-Sewanee girls’ and McMinn County boys.

 

Finalists across the state are MBA (D-II AA), Ravenwood and White Station in girls' AAA, Brentwood in boys' AAA, Knox. Webb boys' and girls' (D-II A), USN boys (D-II A),Christ Presbyterian and Christian Academy of Knoxville girls' in D-I A/AA, girls (the D-I A/AA final), Christian Academy of Knoxville boys' (D-I A/AA) and

 

Wednesday Schedule: BlueCross Spring Fling XVII Old Fort Park (CDT)

 

9 a.m. D-II A … St. Andrews-Sewanee vs. Knox. Webb

D-II AA … Baylor vs. GPS

 

11:30 a.m. … D-II AA … Baylor vs. MBA

1:30 p.m. … D-I AAA … McMinn County vs. Brentwood

1:30 p.m. … D-I A/AA … Notre Dame vs. Christian Academy of Knoxville

 

Notre Dame: The Irish defeated Madison Academic, 4-1, to play for a state tennis title for the first time since three-time state singles champ led the Green and White to the state crowns in 1963-64.

 

Senior co-captain Charlie Ponitz clinched the match with a 6-3, 7-6 (1) win against Michael Brown.

 

“Last year we didn’t play year round and Knox. Catholic gave us an old fashioned butt-whipping (4-0) in the state semis,’’ said Notre Dame volunteer coach Gary McIntyre. “And this time we worked for 12 months for this moment and were well prepared and handed out the butt-whipping.

 

“You practice hard in the winter when no one is watching, so you can play to win in the spring.’’

 

Irish had singles wins from Chip Jabaley, Nick Wurm, Tyler Ross and Ponitz.

 

“We played strong today and fought through a rain delay and crowd distractions, kept our cool and our focus and won,’’ said head coach Anne Ricksecker.

 

50 Wins: Notre Dame is 50-11 the past four years with senior co-captains Jabaley and Ponitz in the lineup.

 

Home Court: Call ‘em road warriors if you will, but McIntyre turns a “no courts on campus’’ to “every time we step between the lines it is our home court.”

 

The Irish have played on the road for 50 years – since Brown and Laura DuPont were nationally-ranked juniors.

 

Baylor Boys: The Red Raiders defeated four-time defending champ McCallie, 4-1, and will face MBA at 11: 30 a.m.

 

Baylor Girls: Baylor defeated defending state champs Hutchison, 4-3, as Katie Thornton picked up the match-winning point at No. 5 singles.

 

The Red and Gray face GPS who stopped Harpeth Hall, 4-0.

 

St. Andrew-Sewanee: Led by the Shackelford sisters – Avery, Sadie, Michaela – the Mountain Lions are in the finals for the second time in three years with a 4-1 win against defending champion St. George’s.

 

SAS will face Knox. Webb at 9 a.m., who beat University School Jackson, 4-0.

 

McMinn County Boys’: The Cherokees (13-0) coached by Susan Ray knocked off previously unbeaten Houston (19-1) and reach the finals for the second time in three years, having lost to Science Hill, 4-0, in 2008. McMinn County stopped Houston, 4-3, winning at No.1 doubles to clinch the win.

 

The senior doubles tandem of Trey Royal/Josh Young rallied from down 4-6 to win 8-6 and a trip to the finals.

 

Shot of the Day: With Royal up 30-0 and down 4-6, he hit a crucial cross court drop shot from behind the baseline to go up 40-0 and eventually win the game. The Cherokees then broke-held-broke for the win.

 

“This team has found a way to win all year,’’ said coach Ray. “Our depth has got us here from Trey at one singles to Brandon MacDonough at number six.’’

 

Need To Play 6 and 3: Ray believes that D-I schools need to be able to play a 6 singles/3 doubles format in the state tournament as are the D-II AA schools.

 

No Player Left Behind: ”From my view point, I see at least two benefits for letting all schools play a 6-3 format.

 

“First of all, what’s it going to hurt by letting everyone play. Actually, we are disappointing the number six singles guy and the three doubles by telling them they have to ‘sit this one out.’’’

 

Ray noted that MacDonough did his part in helping the team be undefeated.’

 

“Second, you don’t see other sports reduce their roster for the playoffs.

 

“The baseball coach doesn’t leave his catcher at home or his No. 3 reliever. Or, the basketball team doesn’t go from 15 players to 12 for the state.

 

“Maybe we can find a way to change this for next year,’’ Ray stated.

 

 

De-Throned: Five defending champions were defeated in Tuesday’s semis;

McCallie (D-I AA), Science Hill boys and girls (D-I AAA), Univ. School Jackson boys (were in D-I AA last year and are in D-II A this year), St. George’s girls’ (D-II A).

 

TSSAA Championship Finals:

 

D-I AAA Boys’: Brentwood vs. McMinn County .

Brentwood won it all in 2005 … McMinn County (13-0) plays for its first

 

D-I AAA Girls’: Ravenwood vs. White Station

Both play for their first title

 

D-I A/AA Boys’: Notre Dame vs. Christian Academy of Knoxville

ND won in 1963-64 … CAK plays for its first

 

D-I A/AA Girls’: Christ Presbyterian vs. Christian Academy of Knoxville

Both teams play for the school’s first tennis championship

 

D-II AA Boys’: Baylor vs. MBA

MBA won it in 2003 … Baylor in 1997; Baylor edged MBA 4-3 earlier this season

 

D-II AA Girls’: Baylor vs. GPS

GPS won it in 2008; Baylor in 2000; GPS won both dual matches this season

 

D-II A Boys’: Knox. Webb vs. University School Nashville

Knox Webb plays for its first boys’ title; USN is the defending champions

 

D-II A Girls’: Knox Webb. vs. St. Andrews-Sewanee

Webb has eight titles, the last in 2005; SAS won it in 2008; Webb won the dual

 

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

[1Fan]

Thanks for the update!