MONTICELLO, Ark. – The Warren Lumberjack Tennis team competed in the district tournament yesterday in Monticello, with several standout performances leading to three players advancing to the state tournament.
Coach Micah Richey expressed pride in his team’s efforts throughout the day. “The players knew how important it was to start off hot and with a great attitude, and they did exactly that,” said Richey. Almost the entire team advanced to the quarterfinals after strong showings in the first round.
First Round Highlights (8-Game Pro Set)
- Presley Reep defeated Camden 8-0
- Jaycee Courtney beat Crossett 8-0
- Braylen Watson took down Hamburg 8-1
- Naideth Pahuamba and Natalee Harmon won over Monticello 8-3
- Anna Arroyo and Ava Denton received a first-round bye as the #2 overall seed
While Braylen Watson and the doubles team of Naideth Pahuamba and Natalee Harmon were eliminated in the second round by top-seeded players from Star City, other Lumberjacks continued their strong play. In the second round, matches were extended to best two out of three sets.
Second Round Wins (Best 2 Out of 3 Sets)
- Jaycee Courtney bested Hamburg (6-4, 6-3)
- Presley Reep fought back after dropping the first set to win over Star City (4-6, 6-3, 6-3)
- Anna Arroyo and Ava Denton cruised past their opponents (6-0, 6-1)
In the semifinals, however, the remaining Lumberjacks faced tough competition and made crucial mistakes that cost them their matches. This placed them in the consolation bracket with a final opportunity to secure a third-place finish and a spot in the state tournament.
Coach Richey highlighted a challenging consolation match between teammates Presley Reep and Jaycee Courtney. “While no one ever wants to play their teammate to decide who goes to state, I thought it was handled very well. Both of them played very competitively,” Richey said.
Consolation Bracket Wins
- Presley Reep prevailed over Jaycee Courtney (8-6)
- Anna Arroyo and Ava Denton dominated their match (8-1)
With these victories, Presley Reep, Anna Arroyo, and Ava Denton earned their places in the state tournament, which will be held on October 14th at the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville.
“I am very pleased with the improvement of the players this year. The credit goes to all of our players and supporters,” said Coach Richey. “The way the players represented me, their school, and their community was with class and respect. Wish us luck and GO JACKS!”
The Lumberjack Tennis program looks forward to representing Warren in the upcoming state competition.
