Plenty of state tournament action was held at other sites around Oklahoma on Friday.
Westmoore tennis coach
Randy Painton has been working with Jenna Noel since she was 10. He’s watched the sophomore improve every year.
“I feel like now she is really starting to put it together,” said Painton, the pro at the Earlywine Tennis Center in Oklahoma City. “She is starting to hit the ball like a college kid ...
“There is no doubt she has a collegiate future and D-I is a very realistic possibility, especially if she continues to improve and work on her game as she is doing right now.”.
Noel breezed through her first two matches Friday in the Class 6A girls state tennis tournament at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center.
The road now gets tougher for Noel, a twotime regional champ and No. 3 seed in the state tournament.
She meets defending state champion Erin
Epperson of Bartlesville in Saturday’s semifinals. Noel has lost twice to Epperson this season.
“I am really excited for (Saturday),” Noel said. “Hopefully, I will beat her this time.”
In the other 6A No. 1 singles semifinal, Haley
Morgan of Edmond North will face No. 1 seed Andie
Williams of Jenks.
Duncan missing its head coach
Phil Barnes has been the head tennis coach at Duncan for more than 30 years, and for the first time he is missing the state tournament.
Barnes, 60, had heart bypass surgery last week and is recovering at home in Duncan.
“I think it feels weird for everyone for him not to be here,” said Barnes’ daughter, Melanie Cox, an OU law school student who volunteered to help this weekend in her father’s absence.
“He is doing really well. We are in constant communication. He knows exactly what is going on (in the state tournament).”
Barnes has won six boys’ state tennis championships and one girls’ title at Duncan.
Crossings stays on the winner’s side
Crossings Christian has brought its strongest squad ever to the Class 4A state tournament.
“We all went to the right (on the winner’s bracket), which is the first time we have ever done that,” Crossings coach
Kevin Carver said after the Crusaders won all their first round matches Friday in singles and doubles.
The Crusaders then advanced everyone from the quarterfinals into Saturday’s semifinals, both their doubles teams along with Ciarra Rose at No. 1 singles and Grace Johnson at No. 2 singles. Both are No. 3 seeds in the tournament.
Rose is just a freshman and won the Earlywine regional.
“She’s had a great season,” Carver said. “She’s only had a couple of losses. There are three (girls) who can probably win it, and she is definitely one of them.”