Girls:
A 14-day hiatus didn’t prevent the Madison County High School girls’ tennis team from routing another subregion foe Tuesday.
The Lady Raiders returned from spring break to beat rival Winder-Barrow 4-1. The victory keeps Madison County (12-1, 8-0) unscathed in subregion play as it closes in on another subregion title.
“The girls played well considering that we have just come off of spring break, recovered from a couple of injuries, and had to play one of our most important matches against our closet rival on our side of the region,” coach Keith Strickland said.
The team returns to action today (Thursday) against Apalachee at home and then at Habersham Central on Monday. The region tournament starts next Thursday (April 15) at Madison County.
Against Winder-Barrow, Madison County won two of three matches at singles (Winder-Barrow swapped its no. 1 and no. 2 singles players) and swept doubles play to remain atop the North subregion standings.
In singles action, Jeannie Bowen won 6-1, 6-3 at the no. 1 position, and Sam Lazer won 6-0, 6-0 at the no. 3 spot.
“Jeannie Bowen proved once again that she is an all-around player and can handle whatever she’s faced with on the court,” Strickland said. “Sam LaZear played an excellent match and dismissed her opponent handily.”
The no. 2 doubles tandem of Alexia Supakorndej and KayLee Bates faced a different doubles team this time around compared to the first match with Winder-Barrow, with the Lady Bulldoggs moving their no. 3 singles player to no. 2 doubles.
But the move did not bother Supakorndej and Bates as they beat their opponents in straight sets (6-1, 6-2).
At no. 1 doubles, Kailtyn Hale and Abby Morgan turned the tables on the Winder-Barrow team that defeated them in the first meeting this year, winning 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Boys:
If this was a gut-check match, then the Madison County High School boys’ tennis team proved it has the mettle to win the close ones.
Despite illness, the Red Raider netters picked up a narrow 3-2 victory over Winder-Barrow to remain unbeaten in the Region 8-AAAA North subregion.
With that hurdle cleared, Madison County (11-2, 8-0) is two victories shy of a perfect season in subregion play.
The team plays today (Thursday) against Apalachee at home and then at Habersham Central on Monday. The region tournament starts next Thursday (April 15) at Madison County.
The victory over Winder-Barrow came down to the no. 2 doubles pairing where Josh Dooley, playing though very sick, and Connor Boyett — subbing in for an ill Connor Hancock — won a third set tiebreaker to secure the team win.
Madison County, which hadn’t played in 14 days, earned its other victories at no. 1 and no. 3 singles. Trey Morris — who maintained a busy tennis schedule over spring break, according to coach Keith Strickland — blanked his opponents in straight sets, while Blaise Boleman prevailed 6-4, 6-4.
“Blaise Bolemon played another solid match,” Strickland said. “He didn’t let a switch in Winder’s line-up bother him.”
