Sports

PREP TENNIS: GHSA Class A Final Four
Title dream blazed

• Seeking their first athletic state title in school history, the Baconton Charter boys tennis team can’t complete the quest, falling in the GHSA  Class A Final Four.

Scott Chancey

JONESBORO - Baconton Charter boys tennis coach Lynwood Griner was the bearer of heartbreaking news.

While Blazers freshman and No. 2 singles player Braden Anglin - trailing Athens Academy's Kyle Crymes, 1-6, 1-4 - tried to jumpstart a Baconton rally against eventual state champion Athens Academy in Friday's GHSA Class A semifinals, Griner told him to stop.

It was over.

The Blazers (19-3), in their first-ever state semifinals, were in an insurmountable, 3-0, deficit and the Spartans were ruled winners at Clayton International Park. Athens Academy eventually defeated two-time defending state champion St. Francis for the title later that day, while Baconton's opportunity to win the school's first athletic state title has to wait another year.

Disappointment, however, soon morphed into optimism.

"You've got to start somewhere," said Braden's brother - the Blazers' top seed and only senior - Bryant.

Three years ago, the varsity program began its progression from fourth place in the region to first-time 1-A champion.

"When players from Athens heard about how far we came, they just told us that was awesome and they don't remember a team making it this far in such a short amount of time," Bryant Anglin said.

The team's region championship banner hung along a nearby fence Friday and the team's refreshments tablecloth was a collage of memories from the Blazers' season. After other losses Friday, however, by No. 3 singles player, Michael Long (1-6, 2-6) and second-seeded doubles players Wheeler Briggs and Matthew Hays (0-6, 1-6), those memories, and a motivation to move one step further in 2009, were all Baconton had at the end of the day.

The No. 1 doubles team of Will Murphy and Tyler Pinson led Athens Academy's Joey Miller/Bryan Roberts, 7-5, 5-5, when their match was halted.

"I feel this is a good challenge for next year, Murphy said of the state semifinal experience. "Someone will have to step up and fill Bryant's shoes, but I feel we're up for the challenge."

In his first year as boys tennis coach, Griner prefers to remember the region title and dramatic, 3-2, win against Savannah Country Day in the quarterfinals that propelled the Blazers this far.

"I couldn't be any prouder," he said. "They've worked hard all year and I enjoyed every moment of it."

Bryant and Braden Anglin, who also lost their first matches against Class A singles players Friday, found their opponents too tough to overcome. Bryant often found himself the victim of Foster's passing shots, and Braden had difficulty adjusting to returning Crymes' serve.

"I couldn't ever get into the match," Bryant said. "I might have had three or four good rallies with him."

Braden found out during the first set his match was not going to be any easier.

"His serve was just unbelievable," Braden said of Crymes' play. "And if you hit it to his forehand, it was his point because he would kill the ball."

With only Bryant leaving, that gives Griner hope that his team will once again return to Jonesboro next season and bring home a state championship.

"This is a good team, I can't wait until next year," Griner said. "They will be more used to being here and will have an even better chance to do it the next time."

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