White County Tennis gets postseason test

White County’s tennis teams got a strong test Monday night, squaring off with a Cookeville program that has been a regular in the state postseason over the past decade.

The final results leaned toward the Cavaliers, but for the Warriors and Warriorettes, the night served a clear purpose with district play just around the corner. “This was exactly the kind of match we needed with the postseason getting close,” WCHS coach Topher Wiles said.

On the girls’ side, Ainslee Goff delivered the top varsity result of the night, working back from an early deficit to earn an 8-6 win at the No. 6 singles spot. Goff stayed within reach early with consistent serving before taking control with her return game, extending rallies and forcing mistakes.

The junior varsity group also found success, highlighted by a 6-3 doubles win from Victoria Davis and Avi Rose. Other matches were competitive across the board, including a narrow 8-6 loss from the No. 1 doubles team of Lorelei Bouldin and Sadie Benningfield and a 9-7 battle from Emmie Benningfield and Claire Hawkins.

For the boys, White County faced a Cookeville squad that reached the state semifinals the past two seasons. While the matchups were tough, the Warriors showed improvement in key areas.

John Durfee and Ethan Wiles turned in the most competitive singles efforts, each taking multiple games off experienced opponents. In doubles, Ben Brogden and Solomon Hawkins battled through long rallies and extended points in an 8-game pro set.

“The number of deuce games and the length of rallies are both up from where we’ve been,” Wiles said. “We’re starting to see players recognize patterns and adjust during matches, and that’s a big step forward for us.”

White County now turns its attention to Senior Night, set for Thursday against Stone Memorial. First serve is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. at the Warrior Courts.

OFFICIAL MATCH SCORES

Warriorettes Singles
Lorelei Bouldin (4-8)
Tegan Rittenberry (2-8)
Sadie Benningfield (2-8)
Olivia Flaminio (1-8)
Katelyn Howard (1-8)
Ainslee Goff (8-6) – WIN

Warriorettes Doubles
Bouldin/S. Benningfield (4-8)
Rittenberry/Flaminio (2-8)
Goff/Howard (3-8)
JV: Davis/Rose (6-3) – WIN
JV: E. Benningfield/Hawkins (7-9)
JV: A. Davis/Weston (1-6)

Warriors Singles
John Durfee (3-8)
Ethan Wiles (2-8)
Solomon Hawkins (0-8)
Ben Brogden (0-8)
Rhoane Worton (0-8)
Jagger Osborne (1-8)

Warriors Doubles
Durfee/Wiles (0-8)
Hawkins/Brogden (2-8)
Whorton/Osborne (1-8)
JV: Smith/Drouillard (2-6)

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