Northwest singles medalist Holden Cooke (center) poses with women's doubles medalists Allie Rawles (left) and Mattie Sanders at the ITA Southern Regional Championships.

Men's Tennis 09/29/24 08:39 PM Brian Lentz

Northwest Tennis Earns Medals at ITA Southern Region Championships

ELLISVILLE - Over a span of four days, Northwest competed strongly at the ITA Southern Region Championships, coming away with a couple notable finishes.

Freshman Holden Cooke advanced all the way to the main draw finals of Flight B men's singles, falling 2-6, 6-4, 2-6 to Jones College's Ridge Jones. In Flight B women's doubles, the duo of Allie Rawles and Mattie Sanders reached the finals of the main draw, falling 2-6, 2-6 to Mikenzy Dubrow and Lauren Sullivan of Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Cooke began his run through the main draw with a 6-1, 6-2 victory against Jeremiah Layton (MGCCC) on the opening day, followed by Thursday's 6-2, 6-0 win against Simon Cooper (CLCC). Cooke then won his quarterfinal match against Ethin McKinnon (JC) in two sets, before earning a gritty semifinal win against Luke Westmoreland (JC).

As for Rawles and Sanders, the duo opened the tournament with a 7-5, 6-4 decision against the East Central tandem of Noelle Howell and Addy Page. The pair then scored a 6-0, 6-0 shutout against Copiah-Lincoln's Makenzie Rogers and Gracie Smith, before picking up a 6-3, 6-4 semifinal victory against Tammy-Ann Lombardt and Martina Troncoso Morales of Southwest Mississippi.

Starting with Wednesday's initial rounds, Northwest had several more of its athletes pick up victories. Sophomore Joshua Tedford completed a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Smith Walker (MGCCC), while Cole Stoddard won each of his first two singles' matches against Ben Orr (Itawamba) and Connor Hartfield (MGCCC).

In men's doubles, the duo of Stoddard and Trager Yeoman received a bye in the opening round of the main draw, before earning a 6-1, 6-4 win against the Hinds tandem of Zachary Dumas and Gavin Robles. The pair would later fall in the semifinals.

Brady Holliman and Miguel Lazaga Robayna picked up a close win in the opening round against East Central's Tate Baucum and Luke Bruntlett, before falling in the second round. Gabriel Koonce joined Cooke for a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Walker and Nick Dulaney of Mississippi Gulf Coast, but the duo would drop a close decision to Maximo Estrada and Thomas Sumrall of East Central in the next round.

In women's singles, freshman Meg Daves had a strong debut in singles' competition, defeating Addy Page of East Central, 6-3, 6-3, in the second round of Draw B. The Coffeeville native then responded with another 6-3, 6-3 win against Itawamba's Caitlyn Ard, before ending her run with a loss in the semifinals to Ansley Tomkins of Jones College.

Sanders also had a strong run in singles' Draw B, starting things off with a 6-2, 6-1 win against Katherine Bounds (Meridian). The Hernando native then advanced past another Meridian player, Lully Hollingsworth, in the quarterfinals, before dropping a 6-4, 6-1 decision to Annabelle Simmons (JC).

Sophomore Kendall Moody also opened competition with a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Cayden Alexander (Meridian) in the opening round, before falling to Dubrow (MGCCC). Freshman Lucy Oliver had a similar path, defeating Makenzie Rogers (Copiah-Lincoln) 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round, later falling in the second round.