TSSAA Spring Fling wrap: Houston girls tennis advances to large school title match

By John Varlas
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Jesse Nabors picked up a victory at No. 1 singles, helping Houston defeat Murfreesboro Central and advance to Wednesday's team final against Brentwood.

 

After all was said and done one the first day of team tennis competition at Spring Fling, the Houston girls were the only local team still standing.

Coach Tony Benzing's Mustangs will play for the eighth state championship in school history Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Adams Tennis Complex at Old Fort following a 4-0 victory over Murfreesboro Central. 

Their opponent will be Brentwood; the three-time defending champions eliminated Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett but the same score.

Houston got singles victories from Jesse Nabors at No. 1, region champion Dinobi Onyeagocha at No. 2, Allison Griffin at No. 4 and Lindsay Carney at No. 5. It's Houston's second trip to the large school final (previously the AAA final) in three years.

Dinobi Onyeagocha and Houston won in the large school semifinals Tuesday.

Elsewhere, it was a disappointing day for Memphis' Division II contingent.

Eighth-grader Stephanie Woodbury, who will also compete when singles play begins Thursday, was the only match winner for Hutchison in a 4-1 loss to Chattanooga Girls Preparatory School in Division II-AA.

Luke Donovan and Michael Wylie picked up wins for MUS but the Owls fell to Chattanooga Baylor, 4-2, in Division II-AA. St. George's, which was hoping for its first boys team title in five years, was blanked 4-0 by Knoxville Webb.

Houston soccer falls in AAA quarterfinals

Tuesday's match between Houston and Station Camp in the AAA lived up to its billing as a rematch of last year's championship. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the result was the same.

Riley Indermuehle scored his second goal of the match deep into over time to lift the Bison into the semifinals with a 2-1 win. Houston, which lost to Station Camp in last year's final, tied the game late in regulation when Liam Gilley slotted home a rebound from the top of the box.

But despite numerous chances in the extra session, they couldn't convert and end the year with a record of 19-2-2.

In AA, Brandon Parrish scored three times as Fairview ended Sheffield's season, 7-1. Ibrahim Toure scored in the second half for the Knights, who finish 15-2-1 and joined Douglass and Memphis Business Academy as losing quarterfinalists from the SCIAA ranks.

Defending state champ Lausanne, CBHS and MUS take the field Wednesday in Division II.

More:Spring Fling high school state tournament schedule

Two TRA teams advance

Since calling a players only-practice after a loss to Dyersburg at the end of April, the Tipton-Rosemark softball team has yet to lose. They'll put that streak on the line Wednesday.

Rachel Whitley, Shelby Clifton and Charli Rice combined for six hits and six RBI as the Rebels (27-9) exploded for seven runs in the third inning and defeated Silverdale, 9-2, in their Division II-A opener. 

Whitley, last year's Commercial Appeal player of the year, homered and doubled and Clifton also hit a double to back the pitching of Rice. The freshman stuck out 12 while holding Silverdale to four hits.

TRA takes on Knoxville Grace at 11:30 a.m. at McKnight No. 3. for a spot in Thursday's title game.

Meanwhile, the Rebels baseball team also came through with a victory, knocking off Christ Presbyterian Academy 7-3.

Cameron Berry went 2 for 3 and scored twice while Alex Langford and Corey Mitson each drove in two runs for the Rebels (29-15), who are playing at state for the first time since 2014. Mitson also picked up the win, going 6.1 innings.

TRA plays Christ Academy of Knoxville Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. at Lavergne High.

Arlington, Covington, CBHS fall

While Collierville advanced in the AAA baseball tournament Tuesday, Arlington will have to fight its way out of the losers bracket following a 2-1 loss to Stewarts Creek. Red Hawks starter Jacob Hamlen held the Tigers (17-12) to six hits while striking out seven in six innings.

Tigers' senior Tate Kolwyck, a Vanderbilt signee, was 2 for 3 with an RBI but also took the loss in relief of Dalton Fowler. Arlington will play in an elimination game Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Oakland High.

In AA, Forrest pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat Covington (32-10), 5-3.

Brock Lomax went 2 for 3 with two RBI to pace the Chargers, who take on Smith County in an elimination game Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Blackman High.

CBHS (24-16) couldn't get the bats going against Chattanooga Baylor starter Alex Butler, managing just five hits in an 8-2 loss. The Brothers will take on arch-rival MUS in an elimination game Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Wilson Central.

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.