Vols piecing together good season

Starkville Academy has found a way to compete in the sport of tennis despite losing some key members of last year’s team.

On Thursday, the Volunteers found their way back over the .500 mark overall and in Class 4A, District 2 with a 7-2 home victory over East Rankin Academy.

Grace Delp remained undefeated at the No. 2 singles spot with a 6-0, 6-1 victory, while the mixed doubles tandem of Lizzie Skelton and Harrison Holliday are also undefeated and No. 1 in the district. They won 6-0, 6-1 over East Rankin.

Starkville Academy coaches Robin and Harry Holliday have been pleased with the progress of the team.

“We have some strong players leading the team,” Harry said. “Everybody has won at some point so we’ve had some success.”

In other results against East Rankin for the Vols, Lily Holliday won in No. 1 girls singles 6-0, 6-0, Sarah Montgomery and Sara Stokes Mcreynolds won in No. 1 girls doubles 6-2, 6-3, Morgan Peaster and Claire Farmer won in No. 2 girls doubles 6-0, 6-3, Tyler Highfield won No. 1 boys singles 6-1, 6-1, and John Ross Jackson and Jackson Walters won in No. 2 boys doubles 6-2, 6-4.

All of the matches for Starkville Academy have been in district. The Vols have split with East Rankin, defeated Leake Academy twice, Winston Academy once, Heritage Academy once and lost to Lamar School twice for a 4-3 record.

“We lost a lot of players and had a lot graduated,” Robin said. “(Wednesday) was a heartbreak. We lost to Lamar 5-4. I’m so proud of them because when we played them the first time, we only got two wins. We are improving and we go to district (in two weeks).

Starkville Academy hosts Winston Academy on Monday, then plays Heritage Academy Tuesday and travels to East Rankin on Thursday.