Local tennis players earned more than half of the seeded positions for the 3rd Region Tournament, which begins today at Moreland Park. The top five spots for boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles were seeded, with the rest of the field filled out by random draw.
Monday’s opening round will begin at 3:30 p.m., with second-round matches also scheduled for day one. Tuesday’s action begins at 4 p.m. and will narrow the field down to the championship matches.
The champion, runner-up and semifinalists in both the boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles tournaments advance to fill a 64-place, single-elimination state tournament bracket, regardless of the team results.
The 2019 Top Seed Tennis Club/KHSAA State Tennis Championships will take place May 30-June 1 at the UK Hilary J. Boone/Downing Tennis Complex and Top Seed Tennis Club in Lexington and Nicholasville.
BOYS’ SINGLES
Dylan Mather (OHS) earned the No. 1 seed, while George Hulse (DCHS) is the No. 3 seed and Nick Boarman (OCHS) will play as the No. 5. All three earned first-round byes.
Other local players beginning with a bye are Graham Sandefur (DCHS), Luke Austin (AHS), Mitchell Douglas (OHS) and Brett Condor (OCHS). Condor and Douglas will face off in the second round, as will Sandefur and Boarman.
Stephen Austin (AHS) will face Heath Embry (Muhlenberg County) in the first round, with the winner advancing to face Hulse.
BOYS’ DOUBLES
The Daviess County duo of Chris Salamah/Dylan McDuffee earned the No. 2 seed, while the No. 3 seed went to Paul Iracane/Will Clark (OHS). Both teams earned first-round byes.
Others advancing straight to the second round are Will Danzer/Davis Brocato (OCHS), Chris Cox/Thomas Ashby (AHS) and Garrison Danzer/Ty Gatten (OCHS).
Ryan Ash/Michael Chapman (AHS) will take on AJ Iracane/Grayson McFarland (OHS) for an all-local match in the first round.
Camden Clark/Ryota Takahashi (DCHS) will play in the opening round and would face Danzer/Brocato with a win.
GIRLS’ SINGLES
Owensboro Catholic took two of the top five seeds, as Sarah Kate Young is No. 1 and Emmy Moore is No. 5. Apollo’s Macy Dame took the No. 4 seed, and all three earn a first-round bye.
Mia Lampert (AHS) and Avery Elliott (OHS) will square off in an all-local opener, and the winner will play Moore in the second round.
Daviess County’s Carly Hayden will play Ashlynn Hoover (Ohio County), with the winner advancing to face Young.
Celine Le (Daviess County) will play Stephanie Walker (Muhlenberg County) in the first round.
GIRLS’ DOUBLES
Owensboro Catholic earned the top two spots, with Sarah Englert/Ashley Fulkerson playing as the No. 1 seed and Alyssa Gatten/Olivia Hayden as the No. 2 seed. Apollo’s Caitlyn Blandford/ Madalyn Hyland earned the No. 3 seed, and all three duos will get a bye.
Olivia Miller/Layne Draeger (OHS) also earned a bye to the second round.
Ashton Payne/Reagan Watkins (DCHS) will play an opening round match and advance to face Englart/Fulkerson with a win. Kloee Phelps/Kinsley Phelps (DCHS) will also play in the first round and would then play Gatton/Hayden with a victory.
Paige Castlen/Emma Embry (OHS) and Lauren Clements/Lynzy Schwartz (AHS) will also play matches in the first round.
