Indian Tennis With 1st Round Wins

Courtesy of VHS

The Vidalia High School tennis teams were in action last week in the first round of the GHSA State Playoffs. The Lady Indians rolled to a win over Social Circle's Lady Redskins in the their match, while the boys took a big win over the Fighting Irish of Dublin.

Girls

The Vidalia Lady Indians kicked off the first round of the State Playoffs with a commanding 3-0 victory over the Social Circle Lady Redskins last Tuesday afternoon, securing their spot in the next round of postseason play.

Traveling into unfamiliar territory didn’t faze the Lady Indians, who came out strong and never looked back. The match was off to a great start when the 1st Doubles team of Deidra Boston and Sadie Berry delivered a dominant 6-2, 6-2win. The2ndDoubles team of Annalyn Helms and Isabella Royal set the tone for the match, overpowering their opponents with a decisive 6-2, 6-0 win.

The match was clinched when 2nd singles, Elizabeth Sowell, battled through a tough matchup, earning a crucial 6-4, 6-4 win, sealing the team’s third and final point needed for the victory.

Although Laylah Brantley and Hannah Nichols had not completed their match when the Lady Indians clinched the team win, their efforts reflected the team’s overall focus and competitive drive. With this first-round win, the Vidalia Lady Indians move one step closer to their ultimate goal — a deep playoff run and a shot at the State Title.

Boys

The Vidalia High School boys tennis team came out strong in the first round of the GHSA State Playoffs, securing a 3-1 victory over the Dublin Fighting Irish on Wednesday afternoon. With dominant performances across the board, the Indians clinched the win early and now set their sights on the Sweet Sixteen.

Leading the charge was senior Caleb Beck at 1st Singles, who set the tone with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 win, putting Vidalia on the board early. The 2nd Doubles duo of Kingston Swyzer and Sam Varn followed suit with a near-perfect performance, dispatching their opponents 6-0, 6-1 to give the Indians a 2-0 lead.

Stone Smith at 3rd Singles sealed the deal for Vidalia, grinding out a tough second set to take the match 6-2, 7-5 and officially punch the Indians’ ticket to the next round.

Though the match was already decided, 2nd Singles player Larsen Carter had taken the first set 6-4 when the overall match was called. The 1st Doubles team of Ryker Hyers and Sam Varn were unable to compete, resulting in a forfeit and Dublin’s lone point of the afternoon.

With the win, Vidalia advanced to face ACE Charter School in the Sweet Sixteen. The matchup was on Monday of this week at the John Drew Smith Tennis Complex in Macon after presstime.

Coach McLeod and Gillies praised the team’s focus and intensity, noting that “This is the kind of effort we’ll need moving forward if we want to make a deep run.”