The First Region tennis championship wrapped up Thursday afternoon with singles and double titles claimed from McCracken County and St. Mary High Schools.
Three of the four titles up for grabs were awarded to the McCracken County Mustangs and Lady Mustangs, continuing their dominance of the First Region. Among those titles were the girls doubles champs; Cassidy Parker and Alex Poore, Holden Hagan and Asher Shanks claimed the boy doubles title and Luke Braboy claimed the boys singles title, while St. Mary’s Olivia O’Neill grabbed the girls single title to represent the Lady Vikings.
For the duo of Parker and Poore, they go back-to-back as First Region girls doubles champs, defeating Paducah Tilghman’s Alex Anderson and Christian Anderson 6-1, 6-4 Thursday afternoon for the title. The sophomore/junior combo have been playing together since they were in middle school and their teamwork will continue to keep them going into the state tournament.
Hagan and Shanks avenged their region loss last year after falling to the Tilghman duo of TJ Duwe and Leyton Morris. This go around, they took on teammates Rowan LaFont and Jack Thompson, defeating them 6-0, 6-3.
Luke Braboy battled it out against Paducah Tilghman’s Henry Wright, in 6-3, 6-4 matches. The win is another revenge win for Braboy after falling to Whitson McNeill last season for the title.
All athletes that competed in the region title matches will advance to the state tournament starting next Wednesday, May 20 and continuing through May 26-27 and May 28-29 for singles, doubles and team play.