Lady Tigers look to defend state 7A tennis title

The Bentonville Lady Tigers will look to win their third straight Class 7A state tennis title, while Rogers High and Fayetteville should be in contention for the boys' team title when play begins today at Rebsamen Park in North Little Rock.

Bentonville's girls will be sending a full contingent in hopes of capturing a third consecutive state championship. Freshman Brooke Killingsworth and senior Emma Baker will represent the Lady Tigers in singles competition, while the doubles teams will consist of junior Avery Hargrove and senior Taylor Cheung-Damonte, as well as junior Bessie Sullivan and freshman Yasmine Humbert.

Class 7A state tennis tournament

at Rebsamen Tennis Center, Little Rock

Today’s pairings

Boys singles

First round (10:30 a.m.)

W4 Michael Zheng, Rogers High vs. C5 Jack Ledbetter, FS Southside

C3 Andrew Maxson, LR Central vs. W6 Tony Kopek, Springdale High

C4 Myers Simpson, LR Catholic vs. W5 Jake Keefauver, Bentonville High

W3 Hans Corbell, Fayetteville vs. C6 Zandy Djurica, LR Central

Quarterfinals (1:30 p.m.)

C1 Parker Stearns, LR Central vs. Zheng-Ledbetter winner

W2 Hayden Shoemake, Bentonville West vs. Maxson-Kopek winner

W1 Jack Vaughan, Rogers High vs. Simpson-Keefauver winner

C2 Ethan Elleman, FS Southside vs. Corbell-Djurica winner

Boys doubles

First round (10:30 a.m.)

W4 Jimmy Corbett/Sankey Srivastava, Bentonville High vs. C5 Bryan Cason/Parker Gibson, Cabot

C3 John Magness/Breck Hopkins, FS Southside vs. W6 TJ Saniseng/Kyle Porte, Van Buren

C4 Jakob Mueller/Dhruv Modi, LR Central vs. W5 Austin Gantz/Isaac Lundstrum, Fayetteville

W3 Nitchell Berry/Connor Clardy, Springdale Har-Ber vs. C6 Alex Ulmschnieder/Will Thames, FS Northside

Quarterfinals (1:30 p.m.)

C1 Jackson Davis/Phillip Abston, LR Catholic vs. Corbett/Srivastava-Cason/Gibson winner

W2 Marquese Hayes/Jackson Runnels, Fayetteville vs. Magness/Hopkins-Saniseng/Porte winner

W1 Moss Mathews/Payne Henry, Rogers High vs. Muller/Modi-Gantz/Lundstrum winner

C2 Henry Nolen/Steven Weeks, LR Catholic vs. Berry/Clardy-Ulmschneider/Thames winner

Girls singles

First round (10:30 a.m.)

W4 Emma Baker, Bentonville High vs. C5 Anna Magness, FS Southside

C3 Aniya Breedlove, North Little Rock vs. W6 Shreya Majagi, Rogers High

C4 Taylor Lemieux, Conway vs. W5 Brittany Matthews, Rogers High

W3 Sarah Schneringer, Bentonville West vs. C6 Tyler Noonan, Mount St. Mary

Quarterfinals (1:30 p.m.)

C1 Presley Southerland, Mount St. Mary vs. Baker-Magness winner

W2 Cam Cupelli, Fayetteville vs. Breedlove-Majagi winner

W1 Brooke Killingsworth, Bentonville High vs. Lemieux-Matthews winner

C2 Eleanor Burks, LR Central vs. Schneringer-Noonan winner

Girls doubles

First round (10:30 a.m.)

W4 Bessie Sullivan-Yasmine Humbert, Bentonville High vs. C5 Jenna Hunter/Abby Harris, FS Southside

C3 Lina Patel/Sarah Sutter, LR Central vs. W6 Claudia Holmer, Jessie Maass, Rogers High

C4 Matheson Ladd/Maddie Geels, FS Southside vs. W5 Maddie McKinney/Abby Relser, Rogers High

W3 Bella Bain/Julia Rogers, Fayetteville vs. C6 Ashleigh Darnell/Zailey Chaffin, Conway

Quarterfinals (1:30 p.m.)

C1 Alexis Rogers/Holly Jones, Conway vs. Sullivan/Humbert-Hunter/Harris winner

W2 Mary Houston/Anna Mauromoustakos, Fayetteville vs. Patel/Sutter-Holmer/Maass winner

W1 Taylor Cheung-Damonte/Avery Hargrove, Bentonville High vs. Ladd/Geels-McKinney/Resler winner

C2 Amy Truitt/MacKenzie Shell, FS Southside vs. Bain/Rogers-Darnell/Chaffin winner

Bentonville, however, realizes it can't just show up and expect an easy road to the state title.

"I'm expecting a lot of fight and a lot of effort," said Hargrove, who teamed with Cheung-Damonte to win the 7A-West Conference girls doubles title. "I expect some really good competition to be out there as we prepare for state. I've always enjoyed playing over there, and it should be a lot of fun."

Hargrove said she and her Lady Tiger teammates has tried to fine-tune their games between the conference and state tournaments. She and Cheung-Damonte has spent the time in numerous drills, as well as taking lessons together and working out with other team members.

"We've been working hard on every facet of our game, whether it be net play, baseline play or anything else," Hargrove said. "Our games seem to work well together, so it helps when Taylor and I are playing together."

Hargrove and Cheung-Damonte squared off against each otehr in the state finals last year with Cheung-Damonte and Sullivan winning in three sets. Now the two will be together.

Darin Phelan, who coaches both Fayetteville's boys and girls teams, said Bentonville is the favorite to win another girls' title.

The Mounties will look to continue their recent momentum, after winning the 7A-West Conference title on the boys' side, but as Phelan noted that doesn't guarantee anything.

"We've been successful in the past, winning four or five conference titles, but wound up finishing second at state," Phelan said. "This year we were second at conference and hope this year to do it at state."

Fayetteville's Hans Corbell finished as state runner-up in doubles a year ago, but will be looking to win a singles title this season. He suffered his first loss of the season in the 7A-West Conference tournmaent, but even Rogers High coach Mike Harper agreed he's a threat to win it.

"There's more parity than in the past I think," Harper said. "There are several good doubles teams. It's just going to come down to who can put it together and get on a roll Monday and Tuesday."

Moss Matthews of Rogers also returns with state tournament experience, taking third last year in doubles. He's paired with sophomore Payne Henry this year.

Sports on 10/17/2016

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