Blue Devils come up short in tennis finals
Model’s remarkable run through the Class AA state playoffs ends with a 3-2 loss in the title round.
Model’s remarkable run through the Class AA state playoffs ends with a 3-2 loss in the title round.
JONESBORO — An entire season came down to five matches for the Model boys’ tennis team on Saturday. The ups and downs were there, and the emotions were as strong as they had ever been.
The team’s journey to the Class AA state championship match ended just shy of a state title, but the trip was one for the books.
The Blue Devils split their first four matches with Region
3-AA champion Bleckley County at the tennis center at Clayton County International Park to force a decisive battle at No. 3 singles. Model junior Chase Geier fought to try and cap the program’s deepest postseason
run with a victory but was defeated. The 3-2 loss left many players visibly upset, but Model coach Josh Goss was quick to put the tough end into perspective.
“It’s been a great, great trip. A great season,” Goss said. “I don’t want these guys to hang their head. They’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. I think that we proved that we belonged here and we’re one or two hits away from winning it.”
The competitiveness between the final two AA teams left standing came out immediately as No. 1 and No. 2 doubles and singles matches got under way.
David Mountain and Sam Bryant gave Model an early 1-0 advantage, winning their No. 2 doubles match in straight sets.
“They played extremely well today, and that’s how you want to go out as seniors,” Goss said. “They came through and brought their best for the last game of the year.”
No. 1 singles player Kyle Hale tried to overcome some early troubles but dropped his match in two sets.
Seniors John Weaver and Stephen Boylan, who had gone undefeated this season, started off well in their No. 1 doubles match, but Bleckley’s duo was able to come back before forcing a seven-point tie-break in the first set. Model’s pair tried to salvage the set, but lost, 7-5. Bleckley then took the second set to take a 2-1 lead.
“We knew that Bleckley had really good doubles teams. It’s probably the best doubles players we’ve seen all year,” Goss said. “It was a battle. Bleckley just came out on top. They just hit one or two more shots than we did.”
Parker Stone got a straight-set win at No. 2 singles, leaving the match to come down to No. 3 singles and Geier, who began playing competitive tennis in the last year. He won a game in the second set but lost.
“He fought and battled every point. And that’s what you’ve got to do,” Goss said.
The Blue Devils, which won the Region 7-AA title this season, defeated two other region championship — Benedictine and Harlem — to reach Saturday’s finals.