Hutchison battles to make finals
St. George’s, MUS, Houston tennis teams also advance
Cramps schmamps. Nothing was going to keep the Hutchison tennis team Tuesday from taking its place in the finals.
In a marathon match that lasted some three and a half hours, the Sting overcame Chattanooga Girls Preparatory School, 4-3, at Old Fort Park. The Sting will play five-time defending champion Chattanooga Baylor at 9 a.m. today.
The victory was secured thanks to a gritty effort from Grace Anne Dunavant, who battled through some major muscle cramps to defeat Ellie Edwards, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. She rallied from 3-0 down in the second set.
“It’s about a three right now but on the court it was a nine,” Dunavant said about her pain level while receiving treatment after the match.
“I really appreciate my teammates cheering me on. (My mindset) was win the point and die later.”
Dunavant was the heart and soul of Hutchison’s big day. Before playing singles, she teamed with Grace Garrott to win a grueling doubles match, 9-8 (6). Other singles victories for the Sting came from Catherine Owen and Eliza Sims.
St. George’s also had to work hard for its victory in D2-A girls play as the Gryphons overcame St. Mary’s, 4-3.
Claire Sullivan, who will defend her singles championship later in the week, scored a big 7-5, 6-3 win over Caroline Culpepper at No. 1 with Hannah Grace Howell and Claire McCord winning at No. 3 and No. 5. Howell and McCord then closed out the Turkeys with a doubles victory over Grace Murray and Karen Springfield.
The Gryphons will play Knoxville Webb, which eliminated ECS 5-0, in the 9 a.m. final.
MUS will go after its fourth consecutive D2AA boys championship following a 4-2 victory over Montgomery Bell Academy. Andres Carro, Frederick Danielson and Jack Powell won in singles for the Owls, who face Baylor at 11:30 a.m.
Houston’s girls and boys teams will each play for AAA titles.
The girls will face Brentwood at 11:30 a.m. after a 4-1 win over East Hamilton. Menzie Montgomery, Allison Griffith, Dinobi Onyeagocha and Kelly Carney won for the Mustangs.
The boys blanked Cookeville 4-0 behind victories from Jonathan de Jesus, Joe George, Ben Leonard and Blake Boswell and will play Tennessee High at 1:30.
HAYNES, TELL STAND OUT IN DECATHLON
Central junior Rashad Hayes was the top local finisher as decathlon competition wrapped up Tuesday, finishing third in the AAA meet with 6,192 points, 376 behind winner Chase Sholl of Rhea County.
Daniel Tell of Briarcrest finished fourth in a strong field with 6,203 points. No one was going to catch George Patrick, though; the University of Texas signee from Brentwood Academy won eight of the 10 events to score 7,324 points.
CARDINALS FALL IN SOFTBALL
Kendall Mills outdueled Seeley Layne as Stewarts Creek opened the AAA tournament with a 2-0 victory over Brighton.
Mills held the Cardinals to four hits while striking out 11. Layne gave up just five hits, but one of them was a home run by the Red Hawks’ Loryn Sherwood.
Brighton faces Seymour in an elimination game today at 10 a.m.