Parkers Chapel duo claims 2A doubles crown.
Parkers Chapel’s Ali Looney and Kenlee McAuliffe rallied to win the girls doubles championship Tuesday in the 2A State Tennis Tournament at Memorial Park in Bentonville.
Parkers Chapel’s boys finished second in the team competition. Michael Brotherton claimed third place in singles with Jordan Arrington and Thomas Hardy taking third in doubles.
McAuliffe, a junior, and Looney, a sophomore, lost the first set in the finals, 4-6, against Riverside’s Bailey Fisher and Carson Smith, but rallied to claim the next two 6-4, 6-2.
“We both want to thank Coach (Casey) Rapp and Robert Holmes for all the time they put into helping us achieve this goal,” Looney said.
The first set was knotted at 2-2 before rain forced the match indoors.
“It took us a few games to adjust to being inside but we finally got it together,” said Looney. “All the hard work and time we have put into this year has really paid off.”
The Lady Trojans advanced to the championship match without dropping a set. McAuliffe said they had to regroup but they made the necessary adjustments.
“After losing the first set we had to quickly put it behind us and start over,” she said. “Once we figured out our opponents’ weaknesses we were able to take advantage of them and win the last two sets.”
The duo opened play with a 6-1, 6-1 win over West Side Greers Ferry’s Kamren Johnson and Alissa Allen on Monday and beat Katherine Huff and Emillie Williams of Conway Christian 6-4, 6-0. In the semifinals, they took out the Haas Hall team of Amelie Wise and Mattie Webb 6-4, 6-2.
Arrington and Hardy opened play Monday with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Colby Stout and Braden Magness of West Side Greers Ferry. They beat Shirley’s Ben Gordon and Luke Lucas 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.
Brotherton advanced past West Side Greers Ferry’s Asa Carr 6-0, 6-2 in the first round and beat Josh Wood of Shirley 6-0, 6-0.
PC’s Payne Williams won his opening round singles match over Marked Tree’s Trayvious Brown 6-0, 6-2 before falling to Josh Stewart of Ridgefield Christian 6-3, 6-3. PC’s doubles team of Josh Arrington and Austin Looney beat Colby Lawrence and Joe Harris of Crowleys Ridge Academy 6-4, 6-0 before losing to Conway Christian’s Canyon Jenkins and Jake DeBusk 6-1, 7-5.
In girls singles, PC’s Drue Thomas dropped a close 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 decision to Maumelle Charter’s Haley Whitaker Monday.
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HOT SPRINGS - El Dorado competed in the 5A State Tennis Tournament Monday at Hot Springs Country Club.
The tandem of Gary Gauthier and Carson Ricker downed Greenwood's Austin Shown and Jonathan Mitchell 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round. They fell in the second round to Jonesboro's Tristan Cato and Cole Spainhaver 6-2, 6-1.
El Dorado's girls duo of Claire Vansickle and Kendal Bonsall lost to Greenbrier's Jasmine Killins and Hailey Ellzey 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.
El Dorado's Emma Thomas lost in girls singles to Mountain Home's Emily Heide 6-0, 6-0.