CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland boys’ tennis team got a key win by Jake Poole and advanced to the Class AAA sectional round with a 4-2 victory over Soddy-Daisy in the Region 3-AAA tournament Tuesday.
The Lady Raiders had an easier time of it, defeating Red Bank 4-0. Both teams will play Siegel from Murfreesboro on Thursday at Lee University.
Poole, the Raiders’ No. 5 singles player, defeated Jordan Crowe 6-4, 1-6, 6-2. The win made it easier for Cleveland to get the four wins necessary to advance. Corey Baggett and Tyler Wickman sealed the win by defeating Matt Zumbrun and Rennie Benoit 8-2.
“We knew what we had to do,” Soddy-Daisy coach Greg Howard said. “We knew that their top three were strong, so our plan was to get one out of those three, then try and get wins at the bottom of their lineup.”
The Trojans got a three-set win by Austin Smith at No. 2 singles and a Benoit victory at No. 4. Cleveland had wins by Feehrer and Alex Klibisz before Poole’s triumph.
“Jake’s win was obviously a very crucial match,” Cleveland coach Elizabeth Davis said. “We knew that match could be important but didn’t really think about it a lot. We didn’t get to see Soddy this year, so we didn’t know what to expect from them, but we felt that the way our momentum was going, that we could do it.”
The Trojans’ team season is over, but they have the doubles team of Smith and Bret Wade advancing to state.
“Today just came down to No. 5 singles,” Howard said. “We wanted to go into doubles up 3-2, not down. It came down to us having to sweep to have a chance.”
The Lady Raiders, who have yet to lose a team match this year, got wins from Catherine Jordan, Kelsey Cantrell, Maclain Yowarsky and Patten Feehrer, with Cantrell’s 6-7 (7-5), 7-5, 6-1 victory over Amy Metcalf clinching the title. Cleveland’s Ayesha Rock led 6-1, 0-1 when the match was called.
With a win Thursday, the Lady Raiders can advance to their first team state tournament. Caroline Grisard, the No. 6 singles player, won the Region 3-AAA individual singles tournament Monday.
“It felt good for us to win today. We didn’t play well yesterday and had a discussion when we left,” Davis said. “I wanted the girls to take Caroline’s determination and come to play tennis. She sent a powerful message to not even be in our top lineup yet win the region tournament.”
Cleveland and Siegel were supposed to play a match earlier in the season, but the Stars canceled due to injuries in the lineup.
“The interesting thing is that it’s us and them,” Davis said. “If we win, we’re in Murfreesboro. We don’t know much about them; we saw them some at the Champions (Club tournament), but we just know them as a name that’s been tossed out there in terms of good teams.”
Region 3-AAA finals at Lee University
CLEVELAND GIRLS 4, RED BANK 0
Singles: Catherine Jordan def. Brittany Brooks, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Kelsey Cantrell def. Amy Metcalf 6-7 (7-5), 7-5, 6-1; Maclain Yowarsky def. Michelle Hawfield, 6-1, 6-1; Patten Feehrer def. Kristen Camp, 6-2, 6-3.
CLEVELAND BOYS 4, SODDY-DAISY 2
Singles: Tyler Wickman (C) def. Bret Wade, 6-4, 6-2; Austin Smith (SD) def. Jake Pullen, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Alex Klibisz (C) def. Matt Zumbrun, 6-1, 6-1; Rennie Benoit (SD) def. Corey Baggett, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2; Jake Poole (C) def. Jordan Crowe, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
Doubles: Baggett/Wickman (C) def. Zumbrun/Benoit, 8-2.
