The Henryetta Knights had a feeling of deja vu several times at the state 4A tennis tournament this weekend.
In three of the four brackets, Knight netsters faced off against opponents they ran up against in the regionals just the week before. Those repeat encounters saw the Knights eventually settle for a fifth place overall spot on the podium with the team of Kanon Bailey and Keaton Lollis taking 2 doubles fourth place and Jordan Knox capturing a 2 singles fifth place award.
Knox had won his first match against Andrew Choate from Seminole 6-3 and 6-0 but had to go up against Will Puiggari from Bisho McGuinness, Puiggari won 7-5 and 6-1. Just the week before, Knox had a problem with Puiggari that cost him the regional title.
Knox blazed through the next three matches winning 6-3 and 6-0 over Regent Prep then 6-4,6-1 against Oologah to face off for fifth against Austin Condict from Wagoner. That saw Knox beat the Bulldog entry for the second time in a week, 6-2, 6-4 for fifth place.
In the 2 doubles, Bailey and Lollis won their first two contests, 6-2 and 6-0 over Oologah and in another repeat of the regionals tournament, won 7-6, 6-3, against Wagoner. That put them up against Gilpin and Buchanan from McGuinness for third place. Henryetta lost the first set 6-1 but came back to win 6-3 and losing the third 6-2.
In 1 singles, Colten Wion lost 6-0 and 6-1 to Jack Sergent from Classen then took back to back losses, 6-1 and 6-0 against C.J. Brooks from Byng. That ended his state efforts.
The HHS 1 doubles team of Jaret Day and Tyger Freeman opened with a 6-2 win against Purcell then lost the second set. They rebounded to win the third 6-1. That set the stage for a second encounter against top-seeded Buchanan and Buwick from Bishop McGuinness. The teams were on the courts against each other the week before in regionals. McGuinness would take 6-1 and 6-1 wins that would see the pair eventually win the state crown. Day and Freeman went up against Clinton’s Ramos and Nguyen. Henryetta lost the first set 6-2 then came back to win 6-1 but lost the third set 6-1 eliminating them from any further competition.
“I am proud of our boys,” said coach Dustin Mosco. They never quit and we know that we were up against some stiff competitors.”
State Tennis photos by Bruce Lollis
