Area teams split matches in Rome
Rockmart girls flip the tally on Model and take a 5-0 win, while the boys lose their five matches.
An early evening at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College is becoming the stage for local high school athletes to display their talent.
The 60-court facility located off of the Armuchee Connector was especially a hub of activity on Thursday as Pepperell’s boys’ and girls’ teams played Coosa, and Model’s players t ook on Rockmart.
Model’s boys swept their five matches with the visiting Yellow Jackets, while Rockmart’s girls flipped the tally on the Lady Blue Devils and took a 5-0 win.
Pepperell’s boys won three of five matches against Coosa, while Coosa’s girls took three from Pepperell.
“There were a lot of good matches across the board, even some that went to a t wo- set t i ebreaker,” Pepperell coach Bo McKenzie said. “There is still a lot that we’ve got to work on, but we’ll get there.”
Pepperell singles play- ers Donovan Rochester and Zane Camp scored victories early, with Rochester winning his No. 1 singles match 6-3, 6-4 and Camp taking his 6-1, 6-1. The Dragons’ No. 2 doubles team of Wheeler Mathis and Jake Ross opened with a 6-3 loss in the first set but came back to win the second set 6-1 before surviving t he 10-point tiebreaker 11-9.
Coosa’s wins came from Joseph Smyth at No. 2 singles, 2-6, 6-1, 10-3, and top doubles team Bryce Ray and Jay Tumlin, 6-4, 6-3.
The Lady Eagles got wins from Tori Overby and Victoria Thomaston in singles play, both winning 6-2, 6-3, while Coosa’s the No. 2 doubles team of Sadie Hagen and Alexis Holmes won their match following a 10- 6 tiebreaker set.
Pepperell No. 2 singles Abby Davenport played a hard-fought match with Coosa’s Cheyenne Lambert before pulling out a 6-4, 7-5 win, while Ragan Ware and Allie Williams gave the Lady Dragons the win at No. 1 doubles, 6-2, 6-1.
Model’s Parker Stone, Kyle Hale and David Mountain all won their singles matches, while the Blue Devils doubles teams of John Weaver and Stephen Boylan, and Justin Roberts and Sam Bryant picked up wins as well.
Rockmart’s Emma Evans took her No. 1 singles match against Model’s Ashlan Godfrey 6-0, 7-6, while Taylor McVey edged out a 7-6 win in the first set of No. 3 singles against Meredith Leonard before taking a 6- 0 win in the second set.
Mary Ella Owen won at No. 2 singles, as did Rockmart’s doubles teams of Anna Smith and Phoenix England, and Rose Haney and Alexis Casey.