Chattanooga Rotary: MBA, Webb Girls take A Titles

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It was a battle of state champs in both the Boys and Girls A Divisions as MBA and Knox Webb girls claimed championships in the 62nd Annual Chattanooga Rotary Tennis Tournament held on the indoor courts at Baylor this past weekend.

Knox Webb boys easily claimed the B Division title with 24 points as runner-up Spain Park had 12 and McCracken Girls won the B Division with 20 points while runner-up Knox Catholic had 13.

Girls A Division: It came down to doubles as two-time defending Rotary winner Baylor (D-II AA state champs) needed to win all three doubles to claim the title outright or win two and share first place with Knox Webb (D-II A champs). But the Spartans from Knoxville claimed wins at Nos.1 and 3 doubles to take home first place in the A Division for the first time since 2005.

Webb led 15-13 after the first day winning all 15 matches, but Baylor won three singles titles (Lauren Carelli, Landie McBrayer and Anna Hawkins at Nos.2-3-4) Saturday to pull within a point at 20-19 before doubles. Webb’s doubles winners were Carina Dagotto-Lauren Yoon at No.1 and Lili Yoon at No.3.

Boys A Division: In a four team race MBA, claimed singles titles at Nos. 4-5 and at No.2 doubles to edge Kentucky state champ and defending Rotary champ St. Xavier, 16 to 14.5, while Maryland state champ Gilman finished with 13.5 and Memphis Univ. School had 13 in the eight team field. Both MBA and MUS are past TSSAA D-II state champs and MBA last won Rotary in 2010. St. Xavier claimed wins at No.2 singles and Nos.1 and 3 doubles.

“This is a great tournament to see where we are in relation to other teams in the our division (D-II AA) as we will see Baylor, McCallie and MUS at our Carter Invitation later this month as well most likely at Spring Fling in May,” said MBA coach Mike Davidson.

McCallie-Baylor Tie: The Tornado and Red Raiders tied with eight points each and meet in the first of two dual matches Wednesday at McCallie.

Champions Dinner: Knox Webb Coach Jimmy Pitkanen said with a smile, “The boys will want to stop at Waffle House, while the ladies favor whole foods. The guys like the grease.”

“This is a tournament with great competition and a tough crowd to play in front of as we meet Baylor here each year as well as in two dual matches later this month,” Pitkanen said. “Last year Baylor won Rotary and beat us two out of three in dual matches.”

Prom Night: The MBA players danced the night away with the Rotary first place plaque as they hurried back to Nashville late Saturday afternoon to attend Prom Night.

Indoor Courts: Rain and cold weather did not deter the tournament to go on as players used indoor courts at all three sites – Baylor McCallie and GPS.

Clean Up Crew: Gilman coach Steve Krulevitz had his players help pick up trash at the Baylor indoor courts both Friday and Saturday. He also took the time out from coaching to visit with old tennis friends Forrest Simmons and Zan Guerry. Krulevitz played at UCLA, while Simmons attend North Carolina and Guerry played at Rice.

Girls A

Team Standings: Knox Webb 22, Baylor 20, GPS 12, Mountain Brook 8, Harpeth Hall 6, Hutchison 7, Spain Park 2.5, Univ. School Jackson 0

Singles Finals

No.1: (1) Maddox Bandy (GPS) def. (2) Lauren Yoon (Knox Webb), 6-4, 6-4

No.2: (2) Lauren Carelli (Baylor) def. (1) Carina Dagotta (Webb), 6-4, 3-6, (7-4)

No.3: (1) Landie McBrayer (Baylor) def. (2) Carolina Ross (Webb), 6-3, 6-3

No.4: (3) Anna Hawkins (Baylor) def. (1) Anna Wisniewski (Webb), 6-3, 7-6 (3)

No.5: (1) Lili Roth (Webb) def. (2) Lilly Mooney (Baylor), 6-4, 6-4

No.6: (1) Audrey Yoon (Webb) def. (4) Corinne Spann (GPS), 6-2, 6-3
 

Doubles Finals

No.1: (1) Carina Dagotta-Lauren Yoon (Webb) def. (3) Lauren Carelli-Lilly Mooney (Baylor), 8-6

No.2:  (1) Presley Thomas-Landie McBrayer (Baylor) def. (2) Caroline Ross-Anna Wisniewski (Webb), 8-6

No.3: (1) Lili Roth-Audrey Yoon (Webb) def. (2) Anna Hawkins-Carolyn Reid (Baylor), 8-3

Girls B

Team Standings: McCracken (Ky.) (20), Knox Catholic (13), Huntsville (12), CCS (9), St. Andrews-Sewanee (4), Signal Mtn. (3), Randolph (2), Univ. School Nashville (0)

Singles Finals

No.1 Sydney Flesch (Huntsville) def. Bailey Dishmon (Chattanooga Christian), 6-2, 6-2

No.2: Shelby Puryear (McCracken) def. Keileen Cullen (Knox. Catholic), 7-5, 6-3

No.3: Danni Poat (McCracken) def. Megan Moreland (Huntsville), 7-6 (4), 6-4.

No.4: Neely Wilson (Knox. Catholic) def. Grace Williams (Signal Mtn.), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

No.5: Ann Caroline Harris (Knox Catholic) def. Emily Dew (McCracken), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

No.6: Lilli Smith (McCracken) def. Sarah Brown (Huntsville), 6-3, 6-3

Doubles Finals                                                                                          

No.1: Sara Allen-Ansley Turley (Knox Catholic) def. Sydney Flesch-Megan Moreland (Huntsville), 8-5

No.2: Sophia Shiben-Lilli Smith (McCracken) def. Olivia Underwood-Ashley Rice (CCS), 8-5

No.3: Emily Dew-Isabella McKinney (McCracken) def. Jada Tun-Libby Turner (CCS), 8-1

 Boys A

Team Standings: MBA (16), St. Xavier (14.5), Gilman (13.5), Memphis Univ. School (13), McCallie (8), Baylor (8), Mtn Brook (3), Univ School Jackson (0.5)

Notes: MBA leads the four team race with 11 points followed by Gilman (Md.) (10.5), Memphis Univ. School (9) and St. Xavier (Ky.) (9) … Score: MBA was 11-4 in 15 matches followed by Gilman at 10-5, MUS at 10-4 and St. Xavier at 8-6 … Tenn. Rivals – MBA and MUS meet in Nos. 4 and 5 singles finals … Seeds Hold Up: All six No.1 singles seeds advanced to the finals along with four of the No.2 seeds … Upsets … McCallie’s unseeded Hank Leathers defeated the Nos. 4 and 2 seeds, respectively to reach the finals in No.2 singles …

Singles Finals

No.1: (1) Derrick Thompson (Gilman) def. (2) Alex Wesbrooks (St. Xavier), 7-5, 6-3

No.2: (1) Preston Cameron (St. Xavier) def. Hank Leathers (McCallie), 6-4, 6-3

No.3: (2) Seth Richey (MUS) def. (1) Dylan Walters (Gilman), 6-4, 6-2

No.4: (1) Matthew Bulow (MBA) def. (4) Michael Wiley (MUS), 6-4, 6-4

No. 5: (1) Hugh Graham (MBA) def. (2) Luke Donovan (MUS), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

No.6: (1) Piyush Mavanur (Gilman) def. (2) Jordan Bruck (McCallie), 6-4, 6-3

Doubles Finals

No.1: (1) Preston Cameron-Alex Wesbrooks (St. Xavier) def. (3) Baylor Sai-Hugh Graham (MBA), 8-6

No.2: (2) Matthew Bulow-Richard Cummins (MBA) def. (1) Dylan Walters-Piyush Mavanus (Gilman), 8-4

No.3: (3) Logan Beaver-Joey Keal (St. Xavier) def. Matthew Huinker-Ethan Burgan (Baylor), 8-6

 Boys B

Team Standings: Knox Webb (24), Spain Park (12), Huntsville (8), Univ. School Nashville (8), Signal Mtn. (6), Randolph (5), Knox Catholic (0), McCracken (0)

Webb earned 24 of a possible 27 points with four singles and two doubles champions

Local winner: Gabe Williams (Signal Mtn) won the No.3 singles …

Singles Final

No.1: Harrison Williams (Webb) def. George Corzine (USN), 6-2, 6-1

No.2: Ohm Sharma (Webb) def. Henry Stephens (Huntsville), 6-0, 6-1

No.3: Gabe Williams (Signal Mtn), def. Ben Pearce (Webb), 7-5, 6-3

No.4: Ben Aikens (Webb) def. Riley Hiers (Spain Park), 6-1, 6-2

No.5: Matthew Kendrick (Spain Park) def. Tony Romano (Webb), 7-5, 6-2

No.6: Austin Rhea (Webb) def. Clayton Pearsall (Huntsville), 6-1, 3-6, (6-1)

Doubles Final

No.1: Ben Pearce-Ohm Sharma (Knox Webb) def. Connor Coots-Henry Stephens (Huntsville), 8-6

No.2: Ben Aikens-Harrison Williams (Knox Webb) def. Jake Wilson-Riley Hiers (Spain Park), 8-1

No.3: Matthew Kendrick-John Kendrick (Spain Park) def. Austin Rhea-Tony Romano (Knox Webb), 8-5

contact B.B. Branton at williambranton1962@gmail.com