RELATED ARTICLE• TVOC results Friday at Manker Patten Tennis ClubLOCAL COLLEGIATE PLAYERS IN THE TVOCWilliam Disterdick McCallie UTCSarah Evans GPS WoffordRichard Gamble home-schooled LeeTarah Garner Boyd-Buchanan LeeEmily Hangstefer home-schooled UTCDavid Henry McCallie MemphisMeredith Morrow GPS KentuckyWill Reynolds Chattanooga Christian GeorgiaChris Schlabach McCallie Middlebury (Vt.)Sawyer Voges McCallie Birm.-SouthernLOCAL RECENT GRADUATES PLAYING IN THE TVOCAlex Cooper Baylor SewaneeBronte Goodhue GPS SewaneeDanielle Linhart Signal Mountain SewaneeNathan Schley Baylor AsburyLOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE TVOCBobby Brouner McCallieSamantha Caswell BaylorHarper Caswell BaylorMcCall Morgan BaylorEric Roddy BaylorLOCAL COACHES PLAYING IN THE TVOCSue Bartlett GPSNed Caswell BaylorJeff Clark UTCKeith Dressler Signal MountainCarlos Garcia UTCRaul Fernandez HixsonDustin Kane BaylorEric Voges McCallie
Kaylene Chadwell doesn't have any real interest in checking out the Riverbend Festival while in Chattanooga this weekend.
She still has four years for all that.
The two-time Class AAA state singles champion from Franklin's Centennial High School is a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga tennis signee. She advanced to the quarterfinals of the Tennessee Valley Open Championships at Manker Patten on Friday before falling to former SMU standout Patricia Zerdan in straight sets.
Still, the experience of playing in her first TVOC event wasn't soured by the loss.
"I've had so much fun while I was here," Chadwell said. "I already love Chattanooga, but I'm still trying to learn my way around here."
Chadwell's result from her last tournament - the TSSAA Spring Fling, where she defeated Memphis White Station's Kayla Jones in the final - and the weather that day were more to her liking than the 90-plus degree temperatures that pounded Manker Patten, but the experience of playing in a prestigious event such as the TVOC made it all worthwhile.
"It's been great," she said. "I've been able to play with some of my [UTC] teammates, as well as go out to some great eating places.
"Our team has been playing well lately. I'm glad that I've been around the team some and hope that I can help contribute to the success they've had."
Chadwell was still playing mixed doubles with her brother, Alabama sophomore Ian Chadwell, and doubles with the Lady Mocs' Shaina Singh.
Father-son love
Two seasons ago, Sawyer Voges was part of a Division II-AA state team championship at McCallie, coached by father Eric. This weekend, they tried to earn another championship together - in the TVOC's open doubles draw.
The two earned a hard-fought victory Thursday over Sale Creek's Ben Fisher and Chattanooga's Zachary Smith but had their dream end Friday, falling in straight sets in the quarterfinals.
"It's fun to be able to play together," said Sawyer, now a Birmingham-Southern junior. "My dad used to tell me things to do while on the court, and now we're playing together. He's still real good at instructing me to do certain things, like giving me advice where to hit the ball, but we're more partners than anything else."
Local love
A year ago, Claire Bartlett was a competitor in the TVOC. This year, she's been reduced to a spectator.
A hamstring injury in September ended her 2011-11 season at the University of Florida, and Bartlett had to watch as the Lady Gators went on to win the NCAA Division I national championship.
"My whole left side was messed up, basically," she said with a laugh. "I was still hitting a lot with my teammates and never really gave it a chance to heal.
"I love being home now, but I'm also glad because I've got some time to where I can rest."
Nineteen area players in high school, recently graduated or already playing collegiately were TVOC entrants. Also playing are eight local coaches, including UTC's Jeff Clark and Carlos Garcia.