Panther, Lady Panther tennis year comes to an end
HOT SPRINGS – Qualifying seven for the 5A State Tournament, the Benton tennis team would pick up a lone victory this past Monday at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs, as no Panther or Lady Panther advanced to Tuesday’s portion of state.
It was a Benton doubles duo picking up the win as senior Alyssa Carter and freshman Lily Jessen advanced to the second round. Carter and Jessen downed Sheridan’s Oliva Jablowski and Kaylee Lewellen 6-1, 6-4 in the first round, but would fall 1-6,
0-6 to Van Buren’s Erica Jones and Abby Saniseng. Jonesboro’s Lauren Guadamuz and Peyton Mullins would defeat West Memphis’ Samantha Holt and Taylor Brossett 6-2, 6-1 for the 5A Girls Doubles State Championship.
No Lady Panther advanced to state in girls singles, but Jonesboro would take the state singles title as well, with Lady Hurricane Jenna Payne downing Parkview’s Emmory
Simmons 6-1, 6-3 for the championship.
Benton sophomore Blake Covert would fall in the first round of the singles tournament, dropping 6-0, 6-0 straight sets to Lakeside’s Ben Hollis. Hollis reached the singles final, but would fall to champion Joseph Patton of Jonesboro, 6-1, 1-6, 4-6 in the title match.
Both of the Panthers doubles duo would fall in the first round. Benton senior Nathan Williams and junior Luke Pelton took the first set 7-5 over Searcy’s Landon Hambrick and Caleb Robinson, but Searcy came back to nab 6-2, 6-0 victories in the next two to win the match, ending Williams and Pelton’s successful season.
Also, Benton senior Logan Davis and junior Peyton Shipp went up against a tough foe in the first round, the eventual state champs in Jonesboro’s Ethan Richardson and Carson Fowler. The Hurricane won the first set 6-0 before the Panthers had to retire due to injury, falling 0-3 in the second. Fowler and and Richardson defeated Jonesboro teammates Ryan Rouse and Win Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in the title doubles match for the championship.