Brookhaven Academy senior Collins Case has a goal of winning afourth straight boys doubles state championship. Case and partnerChris Hooper cleared a major hurdle Tuesday in the MPSA South StateAA Tennis Tournament at the Brookhaven Country Club, winning theNo. 1 title in straight sets.

Case and Hooper helped the Cougars clinch the boys team trophywith 8 points, beating runner-up Simpson County by a 5-pointmargin. The Lady Cougars also prevailed, edging PresbyterianChristian School of Hattiesburg by a narrow 5-4 1/2 pointtotal.

“I want this to be my fourth time to win state,” said Case, anall-district and all-star quarterback last fall. “Chris and I havebeen friends since the fourth grade and winning state would mean alot.”

The state tournament is Wednesday, May 5, at the RidgelandTennis Center.

“We are taking five girls and seven boys to the statetournament,” said BA coach Velma Estess. “Twelve of our 14 playersmade it and that’s very good.”

Case said he and Hooper play well together. “Chris hits goodground strokes and I’m more of a net player. The team we beat inthe finals had beaten us in the first match of the season.”

Hooper said, “It has worked out real well for us this year. Wewon state together the year before last.”

Sophomores Jerrod Rayborn and Alan Gray won No. 1 and No. 2 boysrespectively for the BA Cougars. Rayborn beat sixth grader AlexDoleac of PCS 6-2, 6-4 while Gray defeated Joel Howard of PCS 6-3,6-1 in the finals.

“I had a good first set,” said Rayborn. “My second set wasn’treal good.”

Rayborn first won a state title as a sixth grader and he did itagain in the eighth grade. He’s undefeated this year.

“My serve pulled me through today, especially in the secondset,” said Rayborn. “I hit two aces in the last game.”

The Lady Cougars got a first place from Emily Ryan and SydneyMoak in No. 2 girls doubles.