Morgan Academy will enter Tuesday with a chance to win both the Alabama Independent School Association’s boys and girls’ tennis championships. 

The Senators had eight players qualify for singles championships and still have both boys and girls doubles teams alive for state championships as well.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work the kids have done this year,” said Morgan Academy tennis coach Baxter Stinson. “We are in the finals, but it hasn’t been an easy road. We had to battle and fight playing some really good schools.”

On the boys side, No. 2 seed George Jones, No. 3 seed Mason Perkins, No. 4 seed Will Brackin and No. 5 seed Kareem Hammad all qualified for Tuesday’s finals and will play opponents from Tuscaloosa Academy.

No. 1 seed Willis Watt Jones lost in the semifinals, but is still alive in doubles play with his brother George.

Perkins and Brackin are also still alive in doubles play, which was halted due to rain on Monday afternoon.

In girls’ singles, No. 2 Emily Sherrer, No. 3 Sophie Talton, No. 4 Annie Talton and No. 5 Mary Ashlyn Pearce and won two matches Monday will play in Tuesday’s finals against players from Tuscaloosa. No. 1 Ellie Adams lost in three sets to an opponent from Glenwood Academy.

In doubles, both Morgan Academy girls’ teams had their matches rained out Monday evening.

The teams of Sophie Talton and Emily Sherrer as well as Ellie Adams and Annie Talton are still in the hunt for state titles.

In the singles competition, all eight Senators will play opponents from Tuscaloosa, which has won the last four  boys and girls Alabama Independent School Association championships. Morgan Academy’s boys have finished as the runner-up to the Knights all four of those years and the Senators’ girls haven’t been far behind either.

“Tuscaloosa is a really strong, heavily experienced team. The experience goes a long way toward winning these matches. We’re going to have to be on our game to be able to do it, but it is possible,” Stinson said. “If we knew who was going to win, we wouldn’t be playing.”

The tournament will resume Tuesday at 11 a.m., as long as the weather does not delay it.