Athletics News

Season Recap: MS Tennis

The Southern Mountain League has been around since 2019. The Indians made a stellar run this season to a back-to-back SML Championship, giving the boys team four titles since 2019. The girls also had a successful season that saw marked improvement and a run to the SML Semifinals.

Throughout the season, the Indians dominated to the tune of a 9-1 record, losing only a match against Habersham early on. The boys rebounded from that loss to win all of their next seven matches. Every single one of those were shutouts as well. In the SML Tournament, TFS defeated Rabun before a 3-0 win against Habersham to avenge the lone season loss.

Elijah Pinney was nearly unbeatable at 1-singles, going 8-1 on the season. Jackson Davis was 6-2 and Matteus York was 7-2 at 2- and 3-singles, respectively. Fenn NeSmith earned a win at singles, too, and combined with Dylan Johnson at 1-doubles to go 7-1. NeSmith, between doubles and singles matches, had a team-high nine wins. Maddox English and Micah Smith at 2-doubles went a perfect 6-0 together. Turner Lander had two wins at doubles, and Halen Van Doornum got some time at doubles as well.

The Lady Indians took huge steps forward after a difficult run last year. This time around, the girls went a respectable 4-6, and advanced to the SML Semifinals after a win in the opening round. TFS won its season-opener and put together back-to-back wins during the season.

Spring Lin anchored the 1-singles spot. She was 2-8, while Lillie Whittle (4-5) and Gabby Oliver (3-6) rounded out the singles lines. Erin Sweat and Lexi Gibson went 3-4 together at 1-doubles, and the 2-doubles combo of Ruby Sue Anderson and Tae Hong went 5-1. Gibson and Sweat separately had four total doubles wins. Anderson and Hong each collected six to co-lead the team. Maeve Hatcher and Quinn Fessett got valuable experience at doubles during the campaign.

The Lady Indians will lose several key players including Hong, Oliver, Sweat, Whittle, and Hatcher to the high school level next season. Meanwhile, the Indians will see Davis, English, Johnson, NeSmith, Pinney, and Smith all move up. The foundation continues to be strong for the tennis program, as the middle school teams have combined for six SML championships and 11 total tiles going back to 2012.