Senators’ tennis teams still chasing AISA title

Published 6:48 pm Thursday, April 17, 2014

Morgan Academy has numerous players still standing in the Alabama Independent Schools Association’s state tennis championships, which have been postponed until Monday, April 21 due to rain that played havoc on the event’s schedule.

Morgan’s Ellie Adams and Haley Mathiews have pulled upsets on their way to the finals by beating players that had already defeated them this year. Adams defeated Madison Formby, the No. 1 seed from Tuscaloosa Academy, who she had already lost to twice this season in the quarterfinals. Adams then defeated Rebekah Scott from Lee-Scott, who had also already defeated her during the regular season.

Mathiew, the Senators’ only senior girl, beat Northside’s Allana Bracket and Tuscaloosa Academy’s Sarah Stipe in three sets to reach the finals.

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Adams and Mathiews will both play girls from Glenwood in the state finals. Emily Sherrer and Sophiie Talton are also still playing in doubles after wins over a duo from Fort Dale. Sherrer and Talton will play Tuscaloosa Academy in the finals.

“I am so proud of the girls,” Moran head coach Baxter Stinson said.

“They are a young team and have really worked hard this year.  Going into state, they were basically the underdogs and have upset many top-seeded players.  Whether they win or lose on Monday, they can call this year a success.”

The Senators’ boys still have several players marching through the state tournament.

Morgan’s Peyton Mathiews defeated Chandler Cox from Pike Academy and Ananth Reddy from Springwood Academy in three sets. Will Sherrer has reached the finals by defeating Lee-Scott’s Sam Aldridge and Springwood’s Wyatt Albertson. Elliot Osluand defeated Fort Dale’s Hunter Craig and Lakeside’s Matt Voors.

In doubles, Morgan’s Will Sherrer and Jordon Cothran defeated Lee-Scott and Lakeside and are still playing.

“The boys were all seeded due to their strong regular season records, which makes the road to the finals a little easier, but this is the state tournament so there is really no such thing as an easy match,” Stinson said. “This year was particularly tough because they were not only playing their opponents but playing the gusting wind.”

The tournament was scheduled to be played April 14-15 at Lagoon Park in Montgomery, but rain forced the schedule to be reworked.

Matches will begin Monday at 10 a.m.