From Staff Reports

 

COLUMBUS, GA – It was a mixed bag for the Americus-Sumter varsity tennis program as the Lady Panthers fell 4-1 to Northside (Columbus), but the boys’ team was able to win their match 3-2 on Thursday, March 14, at Northside (Columbus) High School (NCHS).

On the girls’ side, it was a tough day for both Teigan Pepito and Rebecca Ingle. Pepito, the ASHS No. 1 player, lost 6-0, 6-0 to Maya Boynton. Ingle fell in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 to the Lady Patriots’ Mary Cawthorne. Israel Broomfield was the only ASHS girls’ singles player to win a match. She defeated her opponent 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles play, the ASHS duo of Hannah Martinez and Taylor Garcia lost to the Patriots’ team of Kaylee Lowe and Paige Lowe 6-0, 6-1. The ASHS doubles team of Courtney Dew and Kelly Hill lost to the NCHS duo of Victoria Taft and McKenzie Copeland 6-0, 6-0.

Things were much better for the Panthers on the boys’ side. The Panthers’ No. 1 player, Aaron John Ndaayezwi, lost to Jonathan Hicks 6-0, 6-4. However, Braxton Cross defeated Ajay Thiruppathi 6-4, 6-2. Zach Johnson made sure that the Panthers would take two of three matches in singles play when he beat Nathan Trieu 6-3, 6-3.

In doubles play, the ASHS duo of Chris Wooden and Keldrick Flemming lost a hard –fought match to the Patriots’ tandem of Tucker Stone and Max Myers 4-6, 6-4 and 3-10. However, the Panthers’ doubles team of Aaron Lewis and Chandler Reddix sealed the win for the boys’ team when they defeated the NCHS duo of Hunt Haralson and Rhett Seitz in a very hard-fought match. Lewis and Reddix won the first set 6-3 and Haralson and Seitz fought back to win the second set 6-4. However, Lewis and Reddix took the tiebreaker 10-4 to win their match.

Both ASHS teams will return to the court on Monday, March 18, when they host Carver (Columbus). The match I set to begin at 4:30 p.m.