News-Times Staff
The Arkansas High School State Tennis Championships concluded Tuesday. Parkers Chapel, on the strength of its doubles teams, finished as the 2A State runner-up in boys behind state champion Haas Hall.
Playing in Conway, both of the Trojans’ entries advanced to the doubles semifinals. The team of Austin Fruge and Michael Brotherton received a first round bye and then beat East Poinsett County’s Trey Howard and Isaiah Taylor 6-0, 6-2. Jordan Arrington and Thomas Hardy knocked off Earle’s Zac Smith and Tre Harris 6-1, 6-0 and Conway Christian’s James and Jake DeBusk 6-3, 6-1.
In the semifinals, Fruge and Brotherton fell to Ridgefield’s Alex Burnett and John Scholtens 6-0, 6-3. Arrington and Hardy lost to eventual state champions Eddie Hunter and Carlos Rosas of Haas Hall 6-2, 6-2.
Arrington and Hardy beat Fruge and Brotherton 6-0, 6-4 in the third place match.
The Trojans also scored points in boys singles. Josh Arrington beat Rafe Chang of Future School of Ft. Smith 6-0, 6-0 before falling to Ridgefield Christian’s Nathaniel Day 6-4, 6-2. PC’s Payne Williams downed Brinkley’s Cable Hallum 6-1, 7-5 before losing to Andrew Schweitze of Haas Hall 6-0, 6-0.
In 2A girls, Parkers Chapel’s doubles team of Kenlee McAuliffe and Ali Looney opened with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win over Alicen Wilcox and Emily Sowell of Crowley’s Ridge Academy before falling to Conway Christian’s Caroline Henley and Katherine Huff 7-5, 3-6, 6-2. PC’s Savannah Slaughter and Hannah Barbaree lost to East Poinsett County’s Madison Wiggins and Bailey Jennings 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
In singles, PC’s Drue Thomas topped Bunny Rogerson of The New School Bentonville 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 before falling to Kurstin Bryan of EPC 6-0, 6-3. Sadie Goss fell to Shirley’s Graysen Berry 7-6, 6-1.
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At Burns Park in North Little Rock, El Dorado competed in the 6A State Tennis Tournament. The Lady Wildcats’ Alexis Downum advanced to the singles semifinals with wins over Mountain Home’s Elizabeth Lewis, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, and Searcy’s Kamie Provence 6-4, 6-4 before falling to Greenwood’s Olivia Gaston 6-1, 7-5.
Downum played for third place but fell short to Benton’s Alex Trudell 8-4.
El Dorado’s Macey Barker beat Marion’s Morgan Whited 6-3, 6-0 before falling to Mountain Home’s Emily Heide 6-1, 6-0.
In doubles, Megan Barker and Abigail Van Sickle lost to Mountain Home’s Sydney Czanstkowski and Megan Beck 6-4, 6-2.
El Dorado’s boys doubles team of Gary Gauthier and Derek Tompkins fell to Jonesboro’s Evan Hurt and Jonathan Barber 6-4, 6-3.
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The 3A tournament was also held at Burns Park. Smackover’s Precious Dorman fell in girls singles to Piggott’s Emilee Seegraves 6-1, 6-1. Mary Claire Wilcox and Jordan Price lost in girls doubles to Riverside’s Carson Smith and Bailey Fisher 6-2, 6-3.