SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson’s Ian Ding advanced to the semifinals of the singles bracket at the MSHSAA Class 2 state boys tennis tournament on Thursday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
Ding was one of five local athletes competing, with three players from Thomas Jefferson Independent and two from Webb City.
All of the local entries survived and advanced the double elimination format on Thursday and will compete again on Friday.
THOMAS JEFFERSON RESULTS
In the Class 2 singles bracket, Ding went 2-0 and advanced to Friday’s semifinals.
In the first round, Ding defeated Parkway Central’s Ayush Negi 6-1, 6-1. In the quarterfinals, Ding beat Branson’s Gavin Brown 6-2, 6-0.
A junior, Ding will meet Ladue’s Max Chen in Friday’s semifinal round.
The other semifinal features Priory’s Preston Achter against Ladue’s Amit Kadan.
In doubles action, Thomas Jefferson’s team of Noah Hamlett and Tyler Brouhard went 2-1.
In the first round, the Cavaliers suffered a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Priory’s Sean Finnie and Christian Djavaherian.
Hamlett and Brouhard bounced back by beating St. Pius X’s Paul Borrego and Blake Dobey 6-1, 6-2.
In the consolation quarterfinals, in a win or go home situation, Hamlett-Brouhard beat Helias Catholic’s Justin Francka and Andrew Dowden 6-3, 6-2.
Hamlett and Brouhard will take on Grain Valley’s Carter Compton-Kade Compton on Friday morning in the consolation semifinals.
WEBB CITY RESULTS
Webb City’s doubles team of Trenton Hayes and Cale Stephens went 2-1 and will return to compete again on Friday.
In the opening round, Kearney’s Kolby Smothers-Grant Woltkamp defeated Hayes-Stephens 6-2, 7-6.
The Cardinals’ senior duo stayed alive in the bracket by earning a 6-0, 6-0 win over Farmington’s Colton Woody and Maddox Waller-Brenneke in consolation action.
In the do-or-die consolation quarterfinals, Hayes-Stephens edged Smith-Cotton’s Andrew Matz-Michael Cho 6-4, 7-5.
The Cardinals will meet Ladue’s Mason Chyu-Weston Williams in Friday’s consolation semifinals.
The championship semifinals of the doubles bracket will feature Priory’s Finne-Djavaherian vs. Ladue’s Brian Tokarczyk-David Ju and Priory’s Peter Khoukaz-John Newell vs. Kearney’s Smothers-Woltkamp.
Webb City’s Trenton Hayes hits a volley at the net during a doubles match against Kearney at the Class 2 state tennis tournament. Photo by Jason Peake.