2018 GHSA Tennis State Championship Preview

ajc.com

The 2018 GHSA Tennis State Championships are set for Saturday, May 12, 2018 at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College. The venue's impressive and accommodating 52-court size has changed this year's scheduling, allowing all girls matches to be played at once (10 a.m.) before the boys matches (2 p.m.). See below for matchups and court assignments. 

In Class AAAAAAA, Region 5 No. 3 seed South Forsyth advanced to the state finals with a 3-1 win over Region 5 No. 2 seed Lambert last Friday. The War Eagles await 11-time state champion Walton, which defeated Region 5’s top-seed Milton 3-2.

On the girls side, five-time defending champion Walton swept its way past Kennesaw Mountain, East Coweta, South Forsyth and Milton to set up a championship match Lambert, which defeated last year’s finalist North Gwinnett 3-0 in the semifinals.

In Class AAAAAA, the boys and girls Region 7 champions advanced to the finals out of an all-region 7 semis for the second straight year. The Johns Creek boys got past Centennial 4-0 and will take on No. 3 seed Dunwoody, while top-seeded Northview awaits Cambridge on the girls side.

Defending boys Class AAAAA state champion Starr’s Mill was swept in the semis by Buford, which will square off with Flowery Branch. The Kell girls are a win away from the first-ever state title in program history after holding off Flowery Branch 3-2 in the semis and await Chamblee, a 3-2 winner over Buford in the semis. Chamblee's girls are the defending state champions and have won 46 consecutive matches.

In Class AAAA, North Oconee defeated Marist in the boys and girls semis and will face Blessed Trinity and Columbus, respectively for the title. The Class AAA finals features a showdown between Westminster and Lovett in boys and girls.

In Class AA, the Bleckley County girls are headed back to the finals and will look to defend their first-and-only state title against Berrien, which can capture its program’s own first crown with a win over the Royals Saturday in Rome. The Bleckley County boys, which also won their first-ever state title last spring, await Benedictine, a 4-1 winner over Rockmart in the semis.

The past two Class A-Public boys state champs, Irwin County (2017) and Telfair County (2016), will go head-to-head in this year’s championships, and the Taylor County and Trion girls will set the Class A-Public finals, guaranteeing a first-time state champ.

In Class A-Private, defending boys state champion Stratford Academy faces 2016 state champion Paideia and boys 2016 state champ Paideia awaits defending champion Stratford Academy. The Walker girls swept Athens Academy in the semis to return to the finals where they will look for their first state title since 2013 against two-time defending champion Brookstone.

GIRLS

Saturday, May 12, 2018

All Girls Matches begin at 10 a.m.

Class 7A: Walton vs. Lambert (Courts 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)

Class 6A: Northview vs. Cambridge (Courts 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)

Class 5A: Kell vs. Chamblee (Courts 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)

Class 4A: North Oconee vs. Columbus (Courts 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)

Class 3A: Westminster vs. Lovett (Courts 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)

Class 2A: Bleckey County vs. Berrien (Courts 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Class A-Public: Taylor County vs. Trion (Courts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Class A-Private: Brookstone vs. Walker (Courts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Saturday, May 12, 2018

All Boys Matches begin at 2 p.m.

Class 7A: Walton vs. South Forsyth (Courts 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)

Class 6A: Johns Creek vs. Dunwoody (Courts 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)

Class 5A: Buford vs. Flowery Branch (Courts 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)

Class 4A: North Oconee vs. Blessed Trinity (Courts 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)

Class 3A: Westminster vs. Lovett (Courts 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)

Class 2A: Bleckey County vs. Benedictine (Courts 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Class A-Public: Irwin County vs. Telfair County (Courts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Class A-Private: Stratford Academy vs. Paideia (Courts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)