By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City ‘doubled up’ for a pair of District 14A tennis championships on Tuesday.
The newly formed Lady Tornado tandem of Allie Vincent and Josie Ross knocked off the top two seeds to claim the girls’ title, while UC’s No. 1-ranked duo of Kobe Kirk and Byron Abbott were fitted for the boys’ crown after cruising in two matches at Bethel University.
The results send the two Twister teams on to the Region 7A championships on Monday at BU. Both the semifinals and finals will be played on the same day, with the winners clinching a spot in the state tournament in Chattanooga, May 12-15.
Second-year head coach Maddie Britt had nothing but praise for her two championship squads following Tuesday’s matches.
“Union City really showed up today,” she emphatically claimed. “Our girls’ doubles showed no mercy. They had a plan & executed it well.
“On the boys’ side, our guys really impressed me and came out strong initially, which heightened the intensity of the match. Their confidence continued to grow and show throughout the day.
“It was a great day for my Tornadoes!”
After knocking off No. 2 seed Lindsey Webb and Libby Carman of Obion Central 6-3, 6-4, the team of Vincent and Ross – which was paired together just recently, and ranked No. 3 in the field – then stormed past top seed Kayedence Christopher and Shina Patel 6-0, 6-1 in the title round.
In boys’ play, Kirk and Abbott – the pre-tourney favorites – rolled over Shiv Patel and Olten King of Camden (6-0, 6-2) in the semis before clinching the championship with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Allistar Braddock and Dylan Parker of Westview.
Briley Kate McKinney had a good showing in the girls’ singles division before losing to top-seeded Jazmine Seiber in the semifinals (5-7, 2-6) after winning a pair of matches on Monday.
“Even though she didn’t get the outcome she hoped for, BK played with consistency against a solid number-1 opponent,” Britt claimed.
Individual District Tournament Results
Girls Singles Semifinal Round
Briley McKinney lost to Seiber (H) 5-7, 2-6
Girls Doubles Semifinal Round
Allie Vincent/Josie Ross (UC) defeated Webb/Carman (OC) 6-3, 6-4
Girls Doubles Championship
Allie Vincent/Josie Ross (UC) defeated Christopher/Patel (C) 6-0, 6-1
Boys Doubles Semifinal Round
Kobe Kirk/Byron Abbott (UC) defeated Patel/King (C) 6-0, 6-2
Boys Doubles Championship
Kobe Kirk/Byron Abbott (UC) defeated Braddock/Parker (W) 6-1, 6-4
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
Tornadoes to take big group to sectionals
Union City’s two teams will send 31 athletes – 17 boys and 14 girls – to the Class 1A West Sectionals after a solid performance in the Sub-Sectionals on Tuesday at Dave Shatz Track.
Many of the Tornadoes’ representatives to move on to the next round were ‘pushed through’ with previous qualifying times and distances. Several more, however, earned that honor with strong efforts on Tuesday.
Among those were:
BOYS
Andre Small – 100 meters
Kinydee Taylor, Owen Waggoner – 400 meters
Madix Turner – 1600 meters
Milo Turner – 3200 meters
Aiden Reid, Kyle Price, Jaxson Jones – discus
GIRLS
Akeenah Hogsett – 100 meters, long jump
Madie Theobald, Blair McKinnis – 800 meters
Ainsley Sadler – 1600 meters
Carda Ellis – long jump
Madie Theobald, Jerkyah Jones, Kimayah Sneed – discus
Kimayah Sneed, Ku’mya Liphford, Alaja Crawford – shot put
The top 8 finishers/qualifiers move on to the sectionals.
“I’m really excited with where we are,” said UC head coach Wade Maddox, who led the Tornado boys to a state title last season. “We still have some kids running their season-best times, and you always want to be peaking at this time of the year.
“For us to have a boy athlete in every sectional event, and one in almost every girls’ event, gives me hope that we can get back to the state meet with many of those kids and hopefully, make some big noise again.”
The sectional pole vault event will be held next Thursday (May 7), with the remainder of the meet to be held on Friday (May 8) at Halle Stadium in Memphis.