REGION TENNIS

 It’s regional tennis time around the state. Kentucky High School tournaments will begin this week leading to the state finals, May 26-28 at the UK Boone/Downing Tennis Complex in Lexington.

The Corbin High School boys’ team will be looking for their 11^th regional title in a row.

“The tournament is going to be very competitive, it will be very tough,” said Corbin Coach Curt Hart. “There are a lot of good teams in singles and doubles.”

Hart said in the boys’ region, Corbin, Pineville, Whitley County and North Laurel will most likely fight it out. “There are four strong teams. I think it is really up for grabs,” he added.

“I like the fact that we have some real good teams in the region,” Hart said. “We have preformed well in the tournaments. We’ve had some tough matches and I hope it has worked through their nerves and we are ready to play.”

Corbin has two outstanding seniors in Taylor Jones and Brody Freeman. “It’s nice to have a healthy Taylor,” said Hart. “He has had injuries the last two seasons. He has had a good year; he had some good matches in Hilton Head and had a good win at Henry Clay. Taylor is back to his old form.”

“People overlook Taylor and he ended up being a finalist to Lance last year,” said Hart.

“Brody has been working extremely hard,” said Hart. “I am really proud of my two seniors.”

If there is some inexperience it will be with the doubles’ teams. The number one doubles’ team will be Avery Warf and Seth Heinss. “They have had some big wins this year and they have a big match coming up against Whitley County,” said Hart.

Josh Jewell and Anthony Warf will make up the number two team for the Redhounds. “They have had their ups and downs, but they are playing well right now.”

“They both played well at UK in the LCA Tournament last week,” said Hart. “It was perfect timing for us. We played well.”

For the first time the state tournament will be reduced to four teams for the team state title. The regional winning team will advance to team sectional play to be held the Saturday prior to the state tournament. The Sectional winning teams (four boys and four girls) will advance to the semi finals to be played at the Boone Tennis Center.

“The 13^th region winner will be the host this year,” said Hart. “They will host the teams from the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th regions. It will all take place at the 13^th region winner’s site.”

“The thing about it, our region is so tough this year, you have to worry about getting out of it,” said Hart. “Then if we win the region we get to play one more singles match. One player that doesn’t get to play in the regional will get to play in the Sectional. There will be three singles and two doubles.”

“We had a playoff with South Laurel last year, I can foresee the region that close again,” said Hart. “That really helped us. Our young boys really grew up last year.”

Freeman said he was hungry to win Corbin’s 11^th title in a row. Freeman lost to regional favorite William Tan earlier this season and lost in the Trinity Invitational. “Yeah, I am hungry. That was the first time I lost in the region in my entire high school career. I wasn’t at the top of my game. I had been only playing for three weeks,” said Freeman.

“I was more worried about winning the region last year than this year,” Freeman said. “We are going to have a solid one and two doubles, but other than that I think we have a good chance.”

“I am just about to be healthy,” said Jones. “It’s going really well so far and successful.

Corbin is 16-0 after winning at Whitley County Monday night.

The 13^th Region Tournament will begin at the Corbin High School tennis courts Friday.