By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
May 2, 2002
While Meridian's David Ray and Newton County's Mylan Anderson were the only two area tennis players to capture MHSAA state tennis championships this week, area netters competed in 19 events in the various state tournaments.
Ray and Anderson both won boys' singles championships, Ray in Class 5A and Anderson in Class 3A.
Ray defeated Columbus 6-0, 6-0; Starkville's Evan Sanford 6-0, 6-1; Harrison Central 6-1, 6-1; and Bryan Bankester of Madison Central 6-1, 6-1 for the 5A championship at Bridges Tennis Center.
In 3A boys' singles at Ridgeland Tennis Center, Anderson defeated Neil Alford of Houston 6-3, 6-0; Forest 6-1, 6-1; and New Albany 7-5, 7-5 before taking a three-set victory (6-7, 6-2, 6-0) over Zach Jones of Itawamba AHS in the championship match.
In other matches involving area athletes:
Class 5A
In boys doubles, Meridian's Joseph Johnson and Michael Seto defeated Horn Lake 7-5, 6-3 before losing to Northwest Rankin 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
In girls' singles, Summer Brown of Meridian lost 6-0, 6-0 in the opening round to two-time champion Dominique Bell of Callaway.
In girls' doubles, Courtney Harris and Kelly Brown defeated Starkville's Liza Buntin and Jodi Webb 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round and Madison Central 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals before losing 6-2, 6-0 to Northwest Rankin's Mandy Legg and Mary Jo Morlino in the semifinals.
In mixed doubles, Kelly Sterling and Bentley Crawford beat Vicksburg 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round before losing 6-2, 6-2 to Gulfport in the quarterfinals.
Class 4A
Quitman's Kevin Murph and Phillip Johnson were the only area participants to advance to the Class 4A Tournament at Bridges Tennis Center. They lost 6-0, 6-0 to St. Stanislaus/OLA in opening round action. St. Stanislaus, an all boys' school, and OLA, an all-girls' school, are allowed to compete as one team in tennis.
Class 3A
Philadelphia's Dustin Turner defeated Senatobia 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round, but had to default his quarterfinal match in order to go to Leakesville for the Tornadoes' baseball playoff game with Greene County.
In boys' doubles, Daniel Rigdon and Jason Blanks of West Lauderdale defeated Forest 7-6, 6-3 in the opening round before losing to Morton 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Also in boys' doubles, Newton County's Kenard Johnson and Josh Cook lost 6-2, 6-4 to Elijah Myrick and Houston Perry of Corinth in the opening round.
In girls' singles, Newton County's Britley Kimbriel beat Cleveland 6-4, 6-1 in the opening round and Pontotoc 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals before losing 6-3, 6-3 to Catherine Simmons of Corinth in the semifinals.
Also in girls' singles, West Lauderdale's Amy Frazier lost 6-4, 6-1 to Columbia in the opening round.
In girls' doubles, West Lauderdale's Brook Bounds and Britney Wright defeated Nettleton's Jamie Malone and Farren Young 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round before losing 6-3, 6-4 to Newton County's Keri McDill and Melissa Kimbriel in the quarterfinals. McDill and Kimbriel defeated Columbia 6-0, 6-0 in the opening round. The Newton County girls lost 6-1, 7-5 to Cleveland's Carolyn Ely and Brice Walt in the semifinals.
In mixed doubles, West Lauderdale's Jessica Lee and Dee Dallas beat Forest 6-2, 6-1 in the opening round before losing 7-5, 6-0 to New Albany in the quarterfinals.
Also in mixed doubles, Newton County's Cayce Bond and Luke Howell fell 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to Richland in opening round play.
Class 2A
In boys' doubles at Bridges Tennis Center, Newton's Erick Arrington and Blake Stephens defeated Eupora 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the quarterfinals before losing 6-0, 6-0 to Madison St. Joseph's Louis Jones and Yale Murphy in the semifinals.
In girls' singles, Newton's Brooke McMillian lost 6-4, 6-0 to Winona in the quarterfinals.
In girls' doubles, Newton's Brittany Bridges and Amanda McMillian beat Mercy Cross 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals before falling 6-1, 6-0 to St. John's Miles Bailey and Emily Hood in the semifinals.