Bearden duo captures state doubles title
MURFREESBORO — When Bearden High School seniors Griffin Davis and Charlie Adams received their medals for winning the Class AAA State Doubles Tennis Championship, it was a culmination of a four-year quest.
The duo lost the championship match as freshmen in 2013 and didn’t make it back to the Midstate until last week.
They lost in the Region 2-AAA Title match to West High’s Matthew Maynard and Aubrey Davis as sophomores and they didn’t play together as juniors.
The Bulldogs duo avenged that regional loss and went to Old Fort Park with hopes of winning a championship.
Griffin Davis and Adams won their title when they defeated Tennessee High School’s and Jacob Marshall 6-4, 6-2 Friday after cruising to victories in both the quarterfinals and semifinals.
“It was great to see them win the championship and go out on top,” Bearden coach Tyler Lane said. “They worked hard for this and they really earned it.
“We were really excited for them because we had a strong district and it was great for them just to get out.”
The tennis competition in District 4-AAA was so stiff in 2016 that all of the regional spots were occupied by Bearden, Farragut, Hardin Valley Academy or West High.
“We had great tennis in our district this season,” Lane said. “Our senior class has left a big legacy at Bearden and we’ll truly miss them.”
The Bulldogs enjoyed another big season in 2016. Adams and Davis won the doubles title after knocking off their friends and rivals to make it out of Knox County.
They opened their stay in Murfreesboro by defeating Germantown Houston’s tandem of Ben Leonard and Jonathan DeJesus 6-1, 6-0. In the semifinals, Davis and Adams dispatched Stephen Antic and Hayes Canupp 6-1, 6-0.
In girls doubles, Bearden’s duo of Julia Adams and Brittany Foust (which reached the title match in 2015) was eliminated in the semifinals by Brentwood’s duo of Katie DeWald and Georgia Fischer 6-3, 7-5.
DeWald and Fischer would go on to win the tournament. Adams and Foust won their quarterfinal match over Volunteer’s Makenna Peterson and Marlaina Peterson.
Lane was pleased with his team’s effort in doubles despite the semifinal loss.
“Our kids played well,” he said. “They just ran into a better team.
The Bulldogs girls won the Section 1-AAA Championship and qualified for the state tournament for the third consecutive season. Bearden, which reached the title match in each of the last two years, went down in the semifinals last week when it dropped a 4-0 decision to Brentwood, which would go on to win the state championship by sweeping Houston.
Somer Henry started things by beating Julia Adams. Georgia Fischer downed Gabby Simsic. DeWald outlasted Foust and Maria Leone defeated Bearden’s Natalie Porter.
Lane said that the semifinal loss was difficult but he commended his squad’s effort.
“We were hoping this would be the year [to win the state championship], but we just ran into a better team. Our kids played well.
“But Brentwood is a great team and they’ll be good for a long time because they’re pretty young. We’re just looking to enjoy this and keep it going. We’re looking forward to next year.”
Farragut had two players qualify for the State Singles Tournament in senior Gary Carter and junior Hannah Price.
Carter, who was making his third consecutive appearance in Murfreesboro, was eliminated in the semifinals Brentwood’s Sam Fischer 7-5, 6-3. Fischer, a junior would win the tournament.
Carter, the Admirals’ No. 1 singles player, eliminated Hendersonville’s Kato Richardson 6-1, 6-1.
Price qualified for girls singles for the second straight year. She lost her quarterfinal match to Sineha Sinha of Collierville 6-3, 6-0.
