Tennis teams advance to state as No. 4 seeds

Published 7:02 pm Thursday, April 13, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Both of Colquitt County’s tennis teams finished fourth in Tuesday’s Region 1-7A tournament at Camden County and will be on the road for the start of the state tournament.

The Packers will travel to Smyrna in Cobb County to meet Region 2 champion Campbell at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 17.

Colquitt’s boys dropped their region tournament opener to Camden County 1-3.

The Packers won at No. 1 singles, where Mark Breedlove took a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

But Ty Hurst fell at No. 3 singles, 1-6, 0-6; Parker Anderson and Jack Taunton lost at No. 1 doubles, 1-6, 4-6, and Bailee Fountain and Dean Nguyen lost in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 4-6.

At No. 2 singles, Joshua Scroggins lost his first set 5-7 and was down in the second set 3-4 when the Wildcats got their third point.

Breedlove, again at No. 1 singles, was the only Colquitt County winner in the second-round match against Richmond Hill, taking a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

“Mark played his normal game and was in control of both of his matches from start to finish,” Packers coach Mell Wier said.

Scroggins, playing No. 2 singles, fell 4-6, 3-6; Anderson and Taunton lost 4-6, 4-6; and Fountain and Nguyen fell 3-6, 6-7.

Hurst had won his first set 6-4 at No. 3 singles, dropped his second 4-6 and was up 2-1 in the third when the match was called.

“We played well at times, but just a little inconsistent,” Wier said. “But I attribute that to the wind. It was by far the strongest wind we’ve ever played in.

“The guys got better throughout the season and that says a lot about them and the hope for the next few seasons.”

Wier’s assessment of Campbell’s Spartans, who won the Region 2 tournament?

“They are a real solid team and it will be great experience for us,” he said.

If the Packers can pull off an upset, they would travel to meet the Grayson-North Paulding winner in the second round.

The Lady Packers also dropped both of their region tournament matches and will go to Carrollton to face the Region 1 Lady Trojans in the first round.

The Carrollton girls won their eighth region title in school history last week.

The Lady Trojans defeated East Coweta in the semifinal round of the region tournament 3-0.

The Carrollton girls had little trouble at No. 1 and No. 2 singles with Isabella Ellerbee cruising 6-0, 6-2 and Charlotte Collins winning 6-4, 6-1. The No. 1 doubles team of Martha Minor and Parker Penley routed their opponents 6-0, 6-0.

In the finals, the Lady Trojans swept Campbell 3-0 with Ellerbee winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1; Collins taking a 6-4, 6-2 decision at No. 2 singles; and the No. 1 doubles team of Minor and Penley winning 6-4, 6-2.

Colquitt-Carrollton winner will advance to play either Grayson or Marietta.