Return to ‘Boro benefits GF gals
Return to ‘Boro benefits GF gals Posted: Friday, May 27, 2011 12:02 am
A year after graduating four of its top five seeds, Greenfield returned to the Class A-AA State Tennis Tournament as a team on Tuesday. The Lady ’Jackets, who sent out a junior, two sophomores and a pair of freshmen against defending state champion Christ Presbyterian Academy, fell 4-0 in the semifinals of the state tournament at Old Fort Park’s tennis courts. And while the result wasn’t the desired win the Lady Yellowjackets surely would have loved to secure, the experience was a good building block for the young G’field squad. “We’ve got everybody coming back next year and will only lose one player to graduation next season,” Greenfield co-head coach Bill McCall said when mulling the possibilities of a year into the future. “They’ll be a year older and hopefully stronger. I believe the future looks really bright if all the girls stick with tennis and continue to practice and take lessons in the offseason.” McCall also reiterated how proud he was of the squad that refused to latch on to the “rebuilding” label after losing most of its marquee performers from the 2010 state tournament team. “The girls that replaced the seniors who got us up here played just a few matches last year,” McCall said. “They were the 7, 8, 9 and 10 seeds for the most part. They got off to a good start this season and picked up where we left off the year before. “They played really well and they’ve been very scrappy. I’m really proud of them and they’ve been super to work with all season long” The most competitive match on Tuesday was the one that wasn’t complete when the Lady Lions clinched the fourth point to clinch the triumph. In said battle, Lady Yellowjacket No. 4 seed Kaylee Kesterson had lost the first set — to Mary Morgan Smith — 6-3 and was down 3-0 in the second. At the top of the depth chart, CPA’s No. 1 seed Sydney Campbell and second seed Katherine Schofield defeated Green-field’s Emily Allen and Taylor Hatcher in straight sets. Each set of those two matches ended 6-0 in favor of the Lady Lions. Campbell is the reigning Class A-AA individuals state champion. She has yet to be defeated this spring with an 12-0 worksheet after Tuesday’s action. Schofield is 14-0 on the campaign. Allen — the lone member of G’field’s state tourney team from last year that remains intact — gave Campbell some well-deserved props after the match. “She’s a whole lot better than anyone I’ve played all year,” said Allen, who moved from No. 5 last season to the top seed this year. “I’ve seen better competition all year than I did at No. 5 last year.” Hatcher, who was not in Greenfield’s top five last season, tipped her tennis visor to CPA after Tuesday afternoon’s match, as well. “They practice year-round and it showed,” said Hatcher. “We started two weeks before the season because a lot of our players are in basketball. Tennis is the No. 1 sport for a lot of their girls. “ Additionally, the Lady Lions (18-0) claimed a win on Tuesday afternoon in the battle of third seeds and the match between each team’s No. 5. In the tussle between third seeds, CPA’s Virginia Williams downed Greenfield’s Kendal Cook in straight sets (6-1, 6-1). At No. 5, Morgan Atkinson bested Lady Yellowjacket Callie Croom (6-1 in the first set and 6-0 in the second). No doubles matches were needed. wcp 5/26/11 None
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