Russellville eighth in state tennis
MOBILE — The Russellville girls tennis team had mixed results at its first trip to the state tournament earlier this week.
The Lady Golden Tigers finished eighth out of 12 teams as five out of six singles players picked up at least one victory.
Kaylee Jones, playing No.-1 singles defeated Meleah Wylie of Pleasant Grove 6-1, 6-0 before falling to Audrey Bedford of Muscle Shoals 3-6, 3-6.
In No.-2 singles Millie Fisher beat Arab’s Ashley Vickers 6-0, 6-3 then lost to eventual state champion Nene Stephens of St. Paul’s 0-6, 0-6.
Olivia Turner, who was playing No.-3 singles, had the best tournament, picking up two wins. She defeated Natalie Sharpton of Cullman 6-4, 6-3 and Susan Jordan of Briarwood Christian Academy 6-3, 6-3 before falling to St. Paul’s Jane Stephens — the eventual state champion — 0-6, 0-6.
Ashley Askew was the only Russellville player not to win a match. She lost to Laura Evans of Cullman 1-6, 1-6 in No.-4 singles.
Abbey Harbin defeated Kristen Gardner of Pleasant Grove 6-2, 6-1 in No.-5 singles before losing to Walker’s Matlyn Mullen 1-6, 2-6.
In No.-6 singles Cortney Wray beat Sylacauga’s Kathleen Giddons 6-2, 6-0 before falling to Margaret Russell of Briarwood Christian Academy 1-6, 0-6.
The No.-1 doubles team of Jones and Turner lost to Gulf Shores 2-6, 6-7 while the No.-2 doubles team of Fisher and Harbin lost to the eventual state champion team from St. Paul’s 5-7, 0-6.
Russellville’s No.-3 doubles team of Janae Dollar and Paige Bowen picked up the lone win in doubles action for the Lady Golden Tigers.
They defeated Gulf Shores 6-1, 6-2 before losing to eventual state champion Walker 0-6, 2-6.
Rea falls in quarterfinals
Russellville’s Kiefer Rea was the lone boy from the Golden Tigers to reach the state tournament.
He picked up two wins — he beat Wood Nesbitt of Boaz 6-3, 6-1 and Matt Nichols of Briarwood Christian Academy — to reach the quarterfinals of the No.-1 singles bracket.
His quest for a state title ended there with a loss to Sylacauga’s Jonathan Vick 0-6, 6-7(4).
