Newton County finished up its tennis season as seniors Joel Hill and Kayla Baucum won the Class 4A mixed doubles state championship.
Newton County finished as runners-up in two other events, losing to New Albany in the finals of girls doubles and boys doubles.
Earlier in the week, Newton County lost the Class 4A teams state championship to New Albany 5-2.
Mixed Doubles
In mixed doubles, Hill and Baucum had little trouble as they cruised to the title, beating Jacob Estrada and Paige Palazzo of St. Stanislaus/OLA 6-1, 6-2 in the finals. They advanced by beating Shannon 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals. Hill and Baucum cruised in the opening rounds, beating Lanier 6-0, 6-0 and Indianola Gentry 6-0, 6-0.
Boys doubles
In boys doubles, Newton County’s Dylan Barnett and Lee Hill finished as runners-up, falling 6-3, 6-2 to New Albany’s Grayson Godbold and Mason Richey in the finals. In the first round, Barnett and Hill beat Lawrence County 6-0, 6-1 and then beat St. Stanislaus 6-2, 6-1. They advanced to the finals by beating Joseph Fennell and Luke Bolen of New Albany 6-0, 6-2.
Girls doubles
Just like the boys, the Newton County girls doubles teams lost in the finals to New Albany. Newton County’s Josie Hurst and Ali Grace Walker lost 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-1 to New Albany’s Morris Kelly Clayton and Greta Blakemore. Clayton and Blakemore beat Newton County’s other doubles team, Kailee Brown and Lauren Addy 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals.
Walker and Hurst beat New Albany’s other doubles team, Maggie Creekmore and Lexie Kent, 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals. In the quarters, Hurst and Walker beat Our Lady Academy 6-0, 6-1 while Brown and Addy beat Florence 6-1, 6-0.
In the first round, Hurst and Walker beat Richland 6-1, 6-0 while Brown and Addy beat New Hope 6-0, 6-0.
Girls Singles
Newton County’s Kamryn Rodriguez won one game in the state tournament as she beat Poplarville 6-1, 6-2 in the first round. She then lost to New Albany’s Maggie Scott 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
