High school tennis tops Coffee Co.
Warren County’s tennis program fell just short of a clean sweep Thursday at the Civic Center courts.
Playing host to the boys and girls from Coffee County, the Pioneers downed their guests 7-0, while a tiebreaker loss in girls’ doubles prevented the Lady Pioneers from an identical victory.
Instead, the girls had to settle for a 6-1 win over the Lady Raiders, marking their only victory other than a sweep of Van Buren County earlier this spring.
In boys’ play, the Pioneers were without the services of usual No. 1 seed Jacob Wilson. Blake Hitchcock performed well in the top slot, however, downing Ian Smith 8-5.
Bobby Rampp dominated Chris Hicks at No. 2, winning 8-1, and Morgan Gonder was an 8-2 victor over Nick Hibdon.
At No. 4, Travis Gay blanked Paul Anderson 8-0, while Ryan Watlington was an 8-1 winner over Cameron Volk in the No. 5 slot.
Hitchcock and Gonder teamed as the No. 1 doubles duo, and defeated Hicks and Hibdon 8-1, while Rampp and Gay had little trouble with Smith and Anderson, winning 8-2.
The Lady Pioneers’ Elisha Ray was an 8-5 winner over Kayla Thompson at No. 1 singles, while Brittany Williams won a close one over Lisa Yeske, 9-7, and Katy Campen downed Charlie Williams 8-1. Kristen Bouldin took an 8-2 victory over Ali Kegg, and Allison Maxwell was an 8-1 winner over Maria Call.
Williams and Ray topped Thompson and Yeske 8-4 at No. 1 doubles, but in the No. 2 doubles match, Campen and Bouldin were edged out by Williams and Kegg, falling in a tie-breaker, 9-7.
With the wins, the Pioneers improved to 9-4 on the season, while the Lady Pioneers upped their record to 3-10.