SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – No. 1 overall seed Shelbyville Central (16-0, 10-0) punctuated a perfect regular season with a District 9-AA Championship over No. 2 seed Lawrenceburg, 4-1, on Monday.
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SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – No. 1 overall seed Shelbyville Central (16-0, 10-0) punctuated a perfect regular season with a District 9-AA Championship over No. 2 seed Lawrenceburg, 4-1, on Monday.
“I knew the kids could do it, just believing in them and letting them take control,” Golden Eagles’ Head Coach Allison Smith said postgame, “They knew what they had to do to get it done. Seeing them pulling for one another, on and off the court…even after we have a regular practice, they go back out to the courts and they’re out there playing. Just to see the smiles on their faces when they realized they clinched something they’d been reaching for, that was awesome. These kids are great. It’s so much more than tennis.”
This was the first district title for the Golden Eagles’ tennis program since 2014, and with the win, Shelbyville Central clinched a spot in the Region 5-AA Tournament for the first time since that 2014 team.
“There was not even a blink of any doubt in our mind that we wouldn’t get it done, no matter who was playing where,” Smith said, “I’ve always told them that it doesn’t matter what number you are, just win at your spot.”
The Golden Eagles battled through a trio of competitive doubles matches to secure the all-important doubles point early on. Henry Stone and Tucker Johnson outlasted Kingston Dale and Haden Hanley, 8-6, on Court One. On Court Two, Carter Watson and Tanner Johnson took down Ichira Matsuo and Yako Arrendondo, 8-5, to win the point. For good measure, Ryan Jaykus and Eli Collard survived Wyatt Gang and Willis, 9-7, on Court Three for the sweep.
In the singles matches, Stone made quick work of Dale, 8-1, in a District 9-AA Individual Championship rematch on Court One. On Court Two, Tucker Johnson took down Matsuo, 8-4. Lawrenceburg’s Breyer Bain beat Jaykus, 8-0, on Court Five to win the lone point for the second seed, but Tanner Johnson followed that up with a win over Hanley, 8-3, on Court Four to secure the district title for Shelbyville Central. For good measure, Watson was ahead, 6-3, over Gang on Court Three at the time of victory.
Shelbyville Central travels to Brentwood for the Region 5-AA Tournament on Friday. The opponent and start time are TBD.
