Voges family together for McCallie, Notre Dame in state

photo Callie Voges
Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

Others moving onBoysBaylor (9-3): The Red Raiders finished second in the Division II-AA East/Middle region and will face Memphis University School Tuesday at 3.Collegedale Academy (16-3): The Eagles defeated Arts & Sciences and Chattanooga Christian in reaching the first state tournament in school history.GirlsBaylor (11-0): In their 11 team matches so far these season, the Lady Red Raiders have lost only eight head-to-head matches. They face Harpeth Hall in a semifinal.GPS (12-3): The Bruisers, who face Briarcrest in Tuesday's semifinals, have lost only to Baylor all season. They've won five of the eight matches taken off Baylor in head-to-heads this season.

Callie and Turner Voges were present in 2009 at the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro when older brother Sawyer was part of McCallie's last state tennis championship.

Callie was a freshman at Notre Dame at the time and Turner was a sixth-grader, but both were able to share in the excitement of the Blue Tornado, coached by father Eric.

This year, regardless of the final outcomes, Eric will be able to share a special time with his family.

Callie plays No. 3 singles for the Lady Irish, who are in the state semifinals for the first time since the team format began. Turner is a freshman playing No. 6 singles at McCallie, and both teams will be participating at Old Fort Tennis Courts on Tuesday, with the Lady Irish (12-0) facing Page at 10 a.m. EDT and the Blue Tornado (7-4) battling Montgomery Bell Academy at 4 p.m.

"We didn't think this was something that would be possible," Callie said. "We're excited, because we're going to both have a chance to watch each other's matches and support each other.

"We were there when Sawyer won in 2009, and it was an exciting time. This is going to be fun for us."

Notre Dame's journey to the state tournament always has been impeded by Chattanooga Christian, but the Lady Irish won 7-2 over the Lady Chargers early in the season and sealed their spot in the state semifinals with a 4-0 victory over Boyd-Buchanan in a Class A/AA sectional match.

"I think this year we started to take things a lot more seriously," said Callie, the team's only senior. "We're all wanting to win a state championship, and we support each other.

"The girls say they want to win it for me, which makes it even more special."

McCallie had to travel considerably farther to book a place in the Spring Fling, winning 7-0 at Briarcrest Christian near Memphis last week.

Coach Voges doesn't attempt to compare 2009 with this season. It was Sawyer's only season in the top six at McCallie, and he and Thomas Fanjoy teamed to win the clinching doubles match.

"That was a pretty special time," Eric said. "The excitement level was so high that year, and for Sawyer to be on that team and win like that was special because it was his first Spring Fling and I'm his father. It was a great moment to share with him.

"It's such a goal for all players to make it to state, and we hope that this week can be special."

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