Derrick Davis | The Valdosta Daily TimesMembers of the Vikettes’ varsity and junior varsity tennis teams pose for a photo in front of the the location of the Lowndes’ banquet Thursday.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Lowndes tennis held its annual end of season banquet Thursday to celebrate another fantastic season from both the boys and girls teams.

Coaches, team members and their family members congregated at a ranch house in Ray City where they enjoyed food, a slideshow featuring photos throughout the season and the announcement of the Vikings’ All-Region 1-6A team members and other team awards.

The Vikettes finished second in the region with a 8-2 record against region foes, 12-9 overall, leading to a loss in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs against visiting North Cobb.

Amber Daughtrey’s earned a spot on the All-Region first team at No. 2 singles, as well as the Most Improved Award for her play with the Vikettes this season, while Cassidy Croft, Zoey Ridge and Kandice Williams, the Rookie of the Year for the girls, each earned second-team honors at No. 2 doubles.

Returning a young team, the Lowndes girls are a threat to add two or three players to the All-Region team next season as they return nearly the whole squad.

Aside from Daughtrey, Croft and Williams, the Vikettes return: No. 1 singles’ Hannah Grandy, No. 3 Kyra Williams and No. 1 doubles’ Kylee Lindsey. 

Ridge, the recipient of the girls’ Captain’s Award, was the lone senior on this season’s team.

“I thought it was a very successful season,” said Phelps, the Region 1-6A Coach of the Year. “As young as the girls were, to finish second in the region and make the state playoffs, it’s something to build on for next season.”

Despite finishing the season 19-3 overall and 10-0 in the region, the Lowndes boys’ season came to an unexpectedly early ending in the second round of the playoffs when they hosted Etowah and the third-ranked player in the state in Galen Lee.

But one of the best players in the history of Lowndes tennis was up to the challenge of facing Etowah’s undefeated No. 1.

Davis Stewart — the region’s Player of the Year and first-team at No. 1 singles — capped an undefeated individual season of his own, and a 45-1 record over two seasons as a Viking, with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory against Lee.

“He’s without a doubt one of the best players in Lowndes history,” Phelps said before taking it a step further. “I would put him in the conversation, as far as this year, as the best player in the state.

“He stopped playing at lot of USTA tournaments to get points for the state ranking, but he beat the No. 3 guy, so he needs to be in the conversation as one of the best high school players in the state of Georgia.”

It takes more than one great player to compile a 19-3 record, and the Lowndes boys had plenty of talent on its team in 2016 as evidenced by the fact the Vikings placed their entire team on the all-region first team.

No. 2 singles player Ethan Wetherington, No. 3 Matthews Powell, No. 1 doubles’ Trent Parker and Grayson Thomas and No. 2 doubles’ Liam Wetherington, Brant Chancy and Hunter McMillan, the Most Improved Award winner on the boys team, each earned first-team honors at their respective positions.

Parker also recevied the Captain’s Award, and Chancy earned Rookie of the Year.

“Region title, that’s our first goal every year,” Phelps said. “We accomplished that for the second straight year, and that’ll be our goal to win it again next year.

“Of course we’re losing some seniors, but you always have that in your face. We’ll just have to fill those spots and reload.”

All but Stewart and Parker return to the Vikings for another run at the Final Four next season.

Junior varsity players Katie Courson and Logan Johnson were each presented with the Coach’s Award at the banquet.

Derrick Davis is a sports reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times.