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Season Recap: MS Tennis

Tallulah Falls School knew they had something with the middle school boys team specifically heading into 2023. After walking off the court last season as runner-up in the Southern Mountain League and returning a significant portion of their lineup, TFS was viewed as the front-runner this season on the boys side. The girls lost their entire lineup from their semifinals team, so this was viewed as a learning year for the young up-and-coming players.

The boys embraced the challenge of being the team to beat, and went 11-1 all the way to hoisting the championship trophy after a win against Habersham. Reilly Cox, competing at 1-singles for a third straight season, was 10-2 while taking on the best the league had to offer each match. Elijah Pinney was 10-1 at 2-singles, and Jackson Davis went 9-3 at 3-singles. The doubles combo of Christian David and Fenn NeSmith ended with a 10-2 record at 1-doubles, while the 2-doubles lineup featured many combos but combined to go 9-2. Dylan Johnson was in on seven of those wins, Max Pulliam was part of six wins, and Maddox English four.

The boys went 8-0, rolling through the season until a minor hiccup in a 3-2 loss to Rabun Gap. After that, the Indians rebounded to win out, taking the league by storm. The Indians' stretch of great play included a 5-0 win over Banks County to close the regular season. The significance and rarity of the win was every line taking an 8-0 win. That set the tone for the tournament, where TFS earned a first round bye then avenged their loss to Rabun Gap in the semifinals before the win over Habersham.

The Lady Indians had an all-new look this fall, with several players getting their first competitive tennis experience. Catherine Harris played at 1-singles, while Emma Ivester anchored 2-singles and Lexi Gibson and Gabriella Oliver spending time at 3-singles. Doubles lines were often changing, but players like Elizabeth Stafford, Erin Sweat, Veronica VerBerkmoes, Tara Shyrock, Lilli Whittle, and Gibson and Oliver all showed signs of improvement. The girls ended their season with a first round appearance in the SML tournament, and a 1-10 overall record.

Both teams are poised for more success in the future. Though Cox moves to the high school level, a great portion of the boys and girls lineups will remain intact.