By Staff
From special reports
April 25, 2002
The Lamar tennis team won the MPSA District 3-AAA tennis tournament on Tuesday at the Ridgeland Tennis Center 7-2. The Raiders took the victory over Manchester Academy, Copiah Academy and Central Hinds Academy.
Wade Covington competed for Lamar in the No. 1 Boys Singles during the district tournament. He defeated Manchester's Payton Hines 6-0, 6-0 and then defeated Robert Mashburn of Central Hinds 6-1, 7-5 to take the championship match.
Jimmy Epps won the No. 2 Boys Singles for the Raiders. He defeated Scott Akin of Copiah 6-0, 6-3 then defeated Adam Burkes of Central Hinds 7-5, 7-5 to take the championship.
In No. 1 Boys Doubles, Wilson Kahlmus and Lane Rush defeated a doubles pair from Copiah 6-1, 6-4 to qualify for the South State tournament. The pair had to forfeit the championship match however. Manchester's Will Jones and John Crisler took advantage of the forfeit to pick up the championship.
Stanton Lauderdale and Frank Marascalco beat Central Hinds 6-0, 6-0 in No. 2 Boys Doubles to move to the championship match. They then defeated Manchester 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) for the championship.
The girls fared just as well as the guys did. Lisa Swartzfager took No. 1 Girls Singles by defeating Holly Halford of Central Hinds 6-1, 6-0 and by beating Colleen Christie of Copiah 6-1, 6-4.
Sara Michelle Nicholson defeated Central Hinds' Kimberly Cox 6-1, 6-2 to move to the championship round. There she defeated Libby Thomas of Manchester 6-3, 6-2.
In No. 1 Girls Doubles, Kristina Makey and Ann Claire Marascalco beat Manchester 6-2, 6-3 to qualify for the South State Tournament but lost in the championship to Copiah's Candace and Carley Clayton 6-2, 6-2. Kelsey Cobb and Amy Swartzfager defeated Central Hinds 6-0, 6-0 and then won the championship in No. 2 Girls Doubles by defeating Manchester 6-2, 6-3.
In Mixed Doubles, Katie Pearson and Pat Phillippi defeated a pair from Central Hinds 6-2, 6-0 to move to the championship but fell 6-2, 6-3 in the finals.
With the victory Lamar qualified for the South State Tournament to be held at the Northeast Tennis Center of Meridian on Tuesday. Fifty-six players will represent two MPSA South Mississippi AAA districts in the tournament. The tournament starts at 9 a.m.