By Lee Davis
Decatur’s Almon Tennis Center turned out to be a friendly venue for the Mountain Brook boys and Vestavia Hills girls tennis teams.
The Spartan boys and Rebel girls turned in impressive performances in clinching their respective championships in the state Class 7A meet April 26.
Mountain Brook claimed the title with 53 points, easily outdistancing runner up McGill-Toolen’s 22 total. Spain Park was fourth with 18 points. The Spartans won four of the six singles titles and swept all three doubles matches.
David Faulkner won the number two seed with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over McGill’s Hallet Green. Yates Jackson claimed the number three seed with a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Huntsville’s Connor Coots. Seth Cohen earned the number five singles championship with a 6-1, 6-1 win against McGill’s Jeffery Schock. Leo Styslinger defeated Spain Park’s Ryan Stafford 6-1, 6-2.
Another Jaguar, Conner Coleman, claimed the number four seed title with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Enterprise’s Brett Blackburn.
In number one doubles, the duo of Peter Hartman and Jackson defeated the Huntsville team of Jachym Bezouska and Ethan Forbes 6-2, 6-2. The number two doubles featured Paul Jones and Faulkner in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Enterprise’s Christopher Scherzburg and Evan Pruett. In number three doubles, the team of Chase Robinett and Andrew Karcher edged Sam Johnson and Coleman of Spain Park 6-1, 6-0.
The decisiveness of the final victory belied what had been a close match before the last day.
“Even though we won by a large margin, we only had a five point lead going into the final round,” Spartan coach Susan Farlow said. “We were able to beat them (McGill) in every head-to-head position at the end.”
Mountain Brook finished the season undefeated and earned its second consecutive state title and fourth in eight years.
“Needless to say, it was a great season,” Farlow said. “Our boys played tough all year and especially in the state tournament.”
Vestavia Hills Girls
Vestavia’s girls earned their title with a 42-40 win over Mountain Brook. Spain Park was fifth with 12 points. Lady Rebel netters won three singles crowns and a doubles championship to slip by the Lady Spartans.
The eventual champions trailed Mountain Brook on the final day before bouncing back to claim the crown.
“We knew winning was in reach if we all came together and that’s exactly what we did,” Vestavia coach Shelley Sumner said. “We were truly a team and not a group of individuals. That was the difference for this group.
Georgia Moros defeated McGill’s Hallet DeMouy 6-1, 6-2 in number three singles. Maggie Nelson edged Mountain Brook’s Morgan Jenkins 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to win number five singles. Harper Anderson defeated Huntsville’s Laura Walker 6-3, 6-3 to win the number six singles.
Mountain Brook freshman Margaret Polk won the number one singles crown with a 6-1, 6-0 sweep of Fairhope’s Caroline Adams.
“It meant a lot to win number one singles as a freshman,” Polk said. “If I work hard, maybe I can win three more.”
Polk’s teammate Sarah Cooper lost to Huntsville’s Ashley Cooks in the number two singles 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
Mountain Brook’s Cele Sullivan defeated Vestavia’s Sage Ellis 6-2, 6-3 to win the number four singles title.
In number three doubles play, Moros and Nelson combined to defeat Huntsville’s Claudia Stephens and Emily Felix 6-1, 6-1. Spain Park’s Daryn Ellison and Sidney Ellison defeated Haley Harmon and Nelson 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Mountain Brook’s pair of Sarah Cooper and Sullivan defeated McGill’s Helen Ann Cornell and DeMouy 6-1, 6-4. Vestavia completed the year undefeated.
“From day one our goal was to win the state championship,” Sumner said. “We got a tough draw in the state tournament but our girls decided that in order to be the best, we had to beat the best. The way we came back to overcome Mountain Brook the second day was an example of that attitude. This is a very special group.”
The state title was Vestavia’s first since 2013.
Farlow was proud of her team’s second place finish. “Our only regular season loss was to Vestavia,” she said. “Margaret Polk was a great addition for us. Cele (Sullivan) won in both singles and doubles as a junior so we’ll be happy to have her back next year.”
But for now, the Spartans boys and the Rebel girls are number one.
