By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
ARKADELPHIA – The Nashville Scrapperettes won the District 7-4A tennis championship Monday afternoon on the courts at Ouachita Baptist University.
Nashville compiled 12 points at the district tournament, well ahead of the nearest opponent with 7.
Olivia Herzog and Leslie Lingo won the district championship in girls doubles. They will advance to the state Class 4A tournament Oct. 16-17 at Arkansas Tech in Russellville.
Overall, “The girls did what I was expecting, or hoping anyway,” Coach Damon Williams said. “I wanted a couple of others to qualify for state, but we came up a little short. The girls played well. The
team is young, ninth or 10th grade” except for seniors Herzog and Lingo and junior Karina Cogburn.
“The future is bright if they continue to work,” Williams said.
“Olivia and Leslie, I’ll miss them. They’ve been with me all along from the ninth grade on. It’s going to be different to go to team practice next year. They’ve always been there. They’ve been on teams that were back-to-back conference champions,” Williams said.
Herzog advanced to state four years, with Lingo going three years.
“They are two big reasons we were the state runner-up last year,” according to Williams. “They were conference runner-up or champions all four years. That’s pretty good.”
Herzog and Lingo went through the regular season and district tournament undefeated. “They are ranked #1 in girls 4A doubles,” Williams said.
On the boys side, Eli Howard and Caleb Newton “worked hard all year. They fell a little short” Monday in Arkadelphia. “I’m extremely proud of them. I couldn’t ask them to work any harder,” Williams said.
Newton and Howard played singles and doubles wherever the team competed. “They’d play three matches every time.”
Boys doubles results for Nashville include the following:
Newton and Howard def. Needles and Butler 6-2, 6-0.
Newton and Howard lost to Frankwoski and Shuffield 2-6, 3-6.
Newton and Howard lost to Hayley and Smith 2-6, 3-6.
The duo finished fourth at district.
Girls doubles results for Nashville include the following:
Autumn Dyer and Ashlyn Gibbs def. Stayley and Fleming 6-2, 6-4.
Dyer and Gibbs lost to Ross and Bledsoe 4-6, 0-6.
Dyer and Gibbs lost to Overturf and Lowry 4-6, 6-1, 6-10.
Gibbs and Lingo were fourth.
Herzog and Lingo def. Dolby and Witherall 6-0, 6-0.
Herzog and Lingo def. Overturf and Lowry 6-1, 6-0.
Herzog and Lingo def. Ross and Bledsoe 6-3, 6-2.
Herzog and Lingo won district.
Results from girls singles include the following:
Maddie Pinkerton def. Collins 6-2, 1-6, 13-11 tie-breaker.
Pinkerton lost to Pike 1-6, 2-6.
Pinkerton lost to Deluca 5-7, 7-5, 6-10 tie-breaker.
Amber Barnett def. Anderson 8-3.
Barnett lost to Deluca 3-6, 2-6.
Pinkerton finished fourth at district.
