By Lee Davis
Journal Sports Writer
Two of the state’s top tennis dynasties ended last weekend. Or if they didn’t exactly end, they at least changed hands.
The Vestavia Hills boys’ tennis team took its first Class 6A championship since 1995, beating out three-time defending champion Mountain Brook. The news was better for the Spartans on the girls’ side of the ledger as Mountain Brook dethroned the four-time defending champion Lady Rebels.
In the boys’ competition, Vestavia edged Mountain Brook 73-66 to grab the crown. Auburn High School was a distant third with 37 points.
The Rebels and Spartans battled toe-to-toe until the number two doubles match, when Vestavia’s tandem of Leo Richard and Peter Inge defeated Mountain Brook’s Eric Buchalter and Chase Newton 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“Everybody stepped up and did what they needed to do,” said Rebel coach Adam Kolasa. “In the past, Mountain Brook was the one getting the wins it needed.
“But today was our time. We earned it by fighting hard to the end.
In the singles finals, Mountain Brook’s Patrick Lucas defeated defending champion Jeffrey Holcombe of Vestavia 6-4, 6-0 to win the number one seed. The Spartans’ Trey Carter won the number two seed 6-1, 6-0.
The Rebels’ Richard defeated Auburn’s Alex Beale 6-1, 6-3 to win the number three seed. Inge won the number four seed 6-3, 6-3 over Mountain Brook’s Jared Cohen.
The Spartans’ Ben Shearer took a 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over the Rebels’ John Morson to win the number five seed. Vestavia’s Jack Patton earned a victory in the number six seed 7-6, 6-2 over Mountain Brook’s Jacob Weinaker.
In the doubles finals, the Spartans’ team of Lucas and Carter defeated the Rebels’ Holcomb and Wang 5-0 after one set to win the top seed. In the number three seed finals, Patton and Morson of Vestavia whipped Huntsville’s Neil Frederickson and Stephen Long 7-5, 6-3.
In girls’ play, Mountain Brook edged Vestavia 74-58 to regain its first title since 2006.
“We won some tough matches early on, and that helped a lot,” said Lady Spartan coach Susan Farlow. “The fact that all of our girls got to the finals in singles and we had two pairs in the doubles finals helped a lot.”
In the singles finals, Huntsville’s Kelsey Coots defeated Mountain Brook’s Sarah Bowron 6-1, 6-2 to win the number one seed. In number two singles, Mountain Brook’s Carlee Petro defeated Vestavia’s Mary Coleman Allen 6-0, 7-6. Petro came back from a 5-2 deficit to win the second set.
In number three singles, Vestavia’s Avery King edged Mountain Brook’s Elizabeth Lucas 6-1, 6-2. Mountain Brook’s Laura Cohen defeated Vestavia’s Emily Crawford 6-4, 6-4 to take the number four seed.
The Lady Rebels’ Hannah Shunnarah defeated Mountain Brook’s Farris Ann Luce 6-2, 6-7, 6-0 to win the number five seed. The Lady Spartans’ Sarah Cohen defeated Huntsville’s Livia Linden 6-0, 6-3 to win the number six title.
In the doubles finals, Vestavia’s King and Crawford defeated Mountain Brook’s Lucas and Luce 6-1, 6-7, 10-6 to win the number two seed. Mountain Brook’s Cohen and Petro defeated a pair from Huntsville to win the number three seed.
In Class 5A play, the Briarwood boys finished second to win the first state tennis trophy in school history. Muscle Shoals took first place with 49 points, with the Lions totaling 41 to take the runner-up spot.
Briarwood’s Griffin Russell defeated Muscle Shoals’ Patrick Barnes 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the number two singles individual title.
The Briarwood girls also had an impressive showing, finishing third behind Muscle Shoals and Cullman. Olivia Odom won the number five singles title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Walker’s Sarah Warren.
