The Baker County High boys’ and girls’ tennis teams both had a strong showing before getting eliminated at the district tournament April 1 and 2 at Bolles. All the boys and two of the girls made it to the semi-finals before losing to powerhouses Bolles and Bishop Kenny.
“Our goal was to get to the second day and both teams did,” said Coach Chris Armoreda.
Number-one seed Nick Dukeman got a first round bye and defeated Ribault 6-0, 6-0 but lost 1-6, 0-6 to Bolles. Sam Murphy beat Terry Parker 6-0, 6-0 and Yulee 6-4, 7-6 with a 10-8 tie breaker before losing 1-6, 1-6 to Bolles.
Jared Stafford won 6-1, 6-1 against Terry Parker and 6-1, 6-0 over West Nassau, losing in the semis to Bolles 0-6, 1-6. Hunter Stavely won 6-3, 6-1 against Parker and 6-1, 6-1 against West Nassau before losing 0-6,0-6 to Kenny. Tyler Curry won by forfeit in both rounds to Ribault and Raines and lost 0-6, 0-6 to Bolles.
Dukeman and Sam Murphy had a first round bye in number one doubles and beat Parker 0-6, 0-6 before losing 1-6, 0-6 to Bolles. Stafford and Stavely defeated Raines 6-0, 6-0 and Yulee 6-1, 6-0 but lost 1-6, 0-6 to Bishop Kenny.
“Don’t let the score mislead you,” said Armoreda. “We were in on almost every point. Several games went to deuce.”
Tianna Raysor won 6-0, 6-1 versus Yulee in the number-one girls’ singles. She won 6-0, 6-2 to Fernandina Beach but lost to Bolles 1-6, 0-6 in the semis. Kaylann Stafford won 6-0, 6-1 against West Nassau and 6-3, 6-0 versus Ribault before losing 0-6, 0-6 to Bolles.
The other singles lost in the second round after a first round bye. Raysor and Stafford lost 1-6, 0-6 to Bolles. Haleigh Latimer and Savanna Rhoden won 6-2, 6-3 to West Nassau but lost 0-6, 0-6 to Bolles.
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