Wildcats turn back Cougars in long-match

By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
March 21, 2003
Meridian High and Newton County just about played all night, but in the end the Wildcats came away with a 3-2 tennis win over the Cougars.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead, as David Ray blew past Noah Cook in the boys singles match. Ray won 6-0, 6-0 in the very quick match.
Kortney Harris and Kelly Sterling finished out the girls doubles match with a win for Meridian. The pair beat Lauren McDonald and Dru Anderson 6-1, 6-0.
Newton County struck back with a win in the mixed doubles match. Mylan Anderson and Valerie Gibbs defeated Abby Morgan and Bentley Crawford.
The two pairs battled to 4-4 in each set before Newton County broke Meridian's serve and won 6-4, 6-4.
After the match, the teams had to move to Northeast Park because the other two matches hadn't finished up yet.
Following the delay from traveling, the boys' doubles match finished up with Meridian taking the match to secure the win in a huge battle.
Kris Dew and Graham Woods took the first set for Meridian 6-3, but Newton County's Kennard Johnson and Josh Cook came back to take the second set 6-4.
Newton County dropped behind 2-4 in the final set before coming back to tie up the match. Dew and Woods then came through winning the last two games to take the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
The girls singles match went into the night, as Britley Kimbriel of Newton County and Anna Allred of Meridian fought it out.
Kimbriel took the first set 6-4 at Meridian High, but Allred took the next set 6-2 at Northeast Park.
The two girls battled in the final set and Kimbriel finally came away with a 7-6 tie-break victory.