BEARVILLE — Pierce County claimed its first-ever tennis title here Saturday slipping past fourth-seed Columbus 3-2.
The two squads had split straight set victories in two singles matches and two doubles matches. The deciding point came at No. 2 singles with Jeb Bradley winning a second-set 7-2 tiebreaker giving PCHS the title.
The second-seed Bears were hosting the first-ever GHSA state championship contested on the Pierce County campus.
Pierce County advanced to the finals blasting 31st-seed Washington (5-0), blanking 15th-seed Region 3 foe Savannah Arts (4-0), knocking off seventh-seed Region 3 member Appling County (3-0) in the ‘Elite 8’ and turning back 14th-seed Sonoraville 3-0 in a ‘Final Four’ matchup.
Fourth-seed Columbus, a Class 4A champion in 2013, blanked 29th-seed Callaway (5-0), 20thseed North Murray (5-0) and fifth-seed Morgan County (3-0) to reach the semis. The Blue Devils escaped with a 3-2 victory at topseed Murray County.
The semifinals and finals, scheduled a week earlier in Rome, were postponed because of impending severe weather Saturday, May 10. Both rounds were moved to campus sites around the state.
The championship match was the first for the Bears, who had previously reached two ‘Final Fours” falling in the the Class AA semifinals in 1994 3-2 to West Hall. Pierce County lost 3-1 in the 2014 Class AAA semifinals to Woodward Academy.
The doubles duo of Scott Moody and Chris O’Steen were the first members of the Bears’ program to reach the semifinals in 1988 when the tournament was made up of singles and doubles action before becoming a team tournament in 1995.
Championship No. 2 Bears .......................3 No. 4 Columbus ................2
Bradley’s 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) win over Jaiden Shah set off a wild celebration.
Pictured with the Class AA state championship trophy are (lr) coach Matt Lee, coach Serena Harrison, Aaden Carlson, Bryce Taylor, Christian Thorne, Rhett Godwin, Jeb Bradley, Grayson Rodgers, J.C. Nimmer, Kellen Roberts, Thomas Lucas, Colby Coates, coach Robbie Metlis and head coach Matt Hickox.
Aaden Carlson doubled up Aadi Dalsania 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3 singles. Columbus won at No. 1 singles with Mac Dickinson outlasting J.C. Nimmer 7-6, 6-4.
PCHS’s No. 1 doubles team of Kellen Roberts and Grayson Rogers posted a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Hasan Molvi and Aadi Shah. The No. 2 team of Colby Coates and Christian Thorne fell 6-4, 6-2 to William Brown and Rishi Thiruppathi.
Semifinals No. 2 Bears ....................................................3 No. 14 Sonoraville..........................................0
PCHS lost just five games in its three victories against the Pheonix winning at No. 2 and No. 3 singles, and at No. 2 doubles.
Bradley recorded a 6-3, 6-0 win over Joe Dunnway at No. 2 and Carlson notched a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 3 over Elijah Turner. Nimmer was within a game of a two-set victory leading 6-2, 5-1 at No. 1 over Cooper Watson when the match was called.
The No. 2 doubles team of Coates and Thorne rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Preston Key and Owent Maler. Roberts and Rodgers were leading 6-2, 4-3 when play was halted.
