Brister and McCullough state runners-up for LS tennis

Published 8:27 pm Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Eight members of the Loyd Star tennis team represented their school Monday and Tuesday in Oxford at the MHSAA 1A/2A State Individual Tournament. Members of the team are: Will McCullough, Gavin Thomas, Cam Harveston, Payne Walker, Haley McCullough, Maggie Flowers, Tessa Smith and Morgyn Brister.

McCullough and Brister both reached the title match of their respective brackets. McCullough was defeated in the boys’ singles finals by Ryan Roth of Resurrection Catholic, 6-2, 6-2. McCullough was the four seed in his bracket and advanced to the final match with wins over a player from Sacred Heart and a player from St. Joseph after receiving a first round bye. Brister was the top seed in her bracket and lost in the championship to second seeded Lauren Graff of Tupelo Christian Preparatory School. Brister had a first round bye and beat county rival Ja’Taryah Ferguson of Bogue Chitto 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. In the semis Brister beat a player from Eupora.

The Loyd Star boys’ doubles team of Cam Harveston and Payne Walker were eliminated in the opening round by the top seeded team from Resurrection.

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Maggie Flowers and Haley McCullough of Loyd Star also lost in the first match of the girls’ doubles bracket to a top seeded team from Tupelo Christian.

The mixed duo of Tessa Smith and Gavin Thomas lost to their county rivals from Enterprise in the quarterfinals.

Loyd Star is coached by Meredith Miller. The team finished second in the region tournament to West Lincoln and won the county tournament earlier in the season. They were beaten by Sacred Heart in the first round of the 1A/2A team tournament.