Season Recap: Varsity Tennis

SOPHIE HERRERA MAGGIE PEACOCK

ASHLI WEBB

EVETTE CORWIN

The Lady Indians continued to make history in 2022. In the wake of their first playoff appearance in 2021, TFS was anchored by a quartet of seniors. Despite facing some valleys along the way, the girls clinched a second consecutive state tournament spot with a fourth-place finish in the region.

The singles trio of Maggie Peacock ( #1), Ashli Webb (#2), and Evette Corwin (#3) paved the way to an 8-6 overall record. Corwin led the team with ten wins. Peacock took five matches and Webb nine. The Lady Indians won the season’s first two matches over Banks County and East Hall before dropping their region-opener against George Walton. The girls went 2-2 in the next four, with a win over Habersham Central kicking off a season-high five-match win streak that ended with a state-clinching win in the region tourney.

The girls grabbed a four-seed heading into the Class 1A Private tournament. TFS dropped their opening round match at Mt. Pisgah in 3-2 fashion, nearly pulling off what would have been an epic 4-over-1 upset win. The doubles units featured multiple looks, but found success throughout the season. Christy Hulsey and Cassidy Hayes won six matches together, while Sophie Herrera was part of eight wins between working with Annabelle Jackson and Landry Carnes. Carnes picked up five doubles wins.

While the quartet of Corwin, Herrera, Peacock, and Webb all graduate, the program has many standouts returning next season with Carnes, Hayes, Hulsey, and Jackson headlining a young and talented group.

JOSH JACKSON

TANNER DAVIS TJ COX

VARSITY GIRLS

Anna Akers Claire Ann Bellamy Landry Carnes Evette Corwin Cassidy Hayes Sophie Herrera Lizzie Huebner Christy Hulsey Annabelle Jackson Kate Jeon Mariya Khanina Amy Ma Chi Chi Nwachukwu Maggie Peacock Susie Sun Chesney Tanksley Ashli Webb Reese Wilson Flannery Hogan (MGR) Head Coach Randy Morris Coach Scott Davis

VARSITY BOYS

Zach Carringer TJ Cox Tanner Davis Sam Fang Josh Jackson Neil Lyu Benjamin Okoronkwo Jake Owensby Louis Varona Pastor Aiden VanOrman Everett VanOrman Head Coach Randy Morris Coach Scott Davis

Just a short season ago, the boys team was forced to forfeit nearly every tennis match for Tallulah Falls. That resulted in one win, and the roster was in desperate need of additions. Fast forward to 2022, where a freshman group that won back-to-back middle school conference titles invigorated the program.

Randy Morris’ boys team went for nine wins, the most on record for the school. The team posted a region runner-up finish (first since 1989) and not only made the state tournament, but got into the second round. Senior Josh Jackson, who often was the only one able to play last year, was surrounded by singles players Tanner Davis and TJ Cox, who combined for 17 wins. A pair of freshmen doubles combos—Jake Owensby and Zach Carringer and Aiden and Everett VanOrman, came up with 16 wins combined.

The Indians raced out to three straight wins to open the season, including the region-opener. The boys hit a lull by going 1-3 in the next four, but rolled from there to win four straight. That included a win in the first round of the region tournament over George Walton. That region tournament win secured a state playoff berth for TFS and advanced the Indians into the region title match against Athens Academy. Despite the loss there, the boys earned a home match in the state tournament. That came against Lakeview, and TFS won 3-2 in dramatic fashion. Cox came up with the clinching win to send TFS into the Sweet 16. It was the second time on the season that Cox’s win was the clincher, as he did so the first time against George Walton as well.

The boys traveled to Landmark Christian in the second round, and fell 3-0 to officially close the book on the 2022 season. Davis led all singles players with nine wins, while Cox followed with eight and Jackson six. The doubles units featured Owensby and Carringer tallying ten wins. The VanOrman twins racked up six wins together.