The Manchester tennis team defeated Leake Academy 8-1 on Tuesday in Philadelphia, MS.
“Leake is a powerhouse in athletics, so it’s always good to get a win against them,” commented Mav Coach Debbie Crisler. “It was a good match for us, and it appears we are hitting our stride just in time for post-season play starting next Tuesday in Vicksburg. I am particularly proud of Will Peeler and Mark Peaster for an outstanding comeback in their match. That’s two consecutive matches where they lost the first set, but fought their way back to win the 2nd and 3rd sets.”
Leake Academy forfeited three matches to Manchester at #1 and #2 boys’ singles and #2 girls’ singles. M.A.’s #1 girls’ singles player Monica Morrison put the Mavericks up 4-0 with her impressive 6-0, 6-1 victory over Sadie Ogletree of Leake.
Mavericks Mark Peaster and Will Peeler clinched the team victory in a remarkable comeback win over Jackson Adams and Jarrett Allen 1-6, 6-4, 10-5 in #1 boys’ doubles. The Mav duo appeared all but dead in the match’s first set playing some of their most uninspired tennis of the season; however, they changed tactics early in the second set and began to show signs of life while at the same time frustrating their opponents. Finally, Peaster and Peeler opened up a commanding 8-1 lead in the third-set tiebreaker with some marvelous shot-making and finished off the victory 10-5 following a Peeler winner at the net and a Peaster scorched groundstroke on match point.
Margaret Dent and Nettie Taylor Barbour retuned to winning form against Leake and defeated Meredith Adams and Grace Ann Wade 6-2, 6-0 at #1 girls’ doubles to give the Mavs a 6-0 lead in the team match.
Meanwhile, Leake picked up its only win of the day as Mavericks Tres Paul and Hayes Bardwell lost 6-0, 6-1 to Bucky Bell and Matthew Breazeale in #2 boys’ doubles.
In mixed doubles, Ann Hampton Wells played with Matt Carroll for the first time of the season due to her regular partner’s illness. Wells and Carroll completely dominated Leake’s Chloe Boykin and Tucker Cain 6-0, 6-0 to give Manchester a 7-1 lead. In the final match of the day, M.A.’s Elizabeth Turner and Mary Sibley McGraw defeated Sadie Ogletree and Molina Mangreen 8-1 in an abbreviated pro-set match.
“We have an outstanding opportunity to win the boys’ and girls’ conference championships next week in Vicksburg,” added Coach Crisler. “Upton Hitt and Matt Carroll are undefeated in conference and our boys’ doubles teams both have a great shot to reach the finals. Meanwhile, our girls’ singles and doubles teams are all strong with the potential for a Maverick sweep. Finally, our mixed doubles team keeps improving and I am excited about their potential next week. We are working hard and will fight for every point in Vicksburg!”
M.A. played Victors in Yazoo City on Thursday afternoon and will travel next Tuesday morning to Vicksburg to Halls Ferry Park for the conference tournament. Any M.A. teams that reach the conference finals qualify for the North State Tournament in Greenville on Tuesday, May 2.
