BACK-TO-BACK

 The Corbin Lady Redhounds won back-to-back 13^th Region tennis titles last week. Corbin took top honors, beating out Middlesboro by two points.

The doubles team of Jaclyn Jewell and Erin Hart upset the region favorites from South Laurel, Collette and Rao, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. They beat the number three-seeded team from Middlesboro as well, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

“This makes us two in a row,” said Corbin Coach Donnie Head. “We have been building the program and its gotten stronger now. I think it’s our depth where we are really good. I’ve got probably 15 girls that can really play. I don’t know of anybody that has that many that can play competitive tennis.”

Head said he was excited to see the progress of his doubles’ champions, Jewell and Hart. “Jaclyn has been a total surprise. After Melanie (Head) graduated, I really didn’t know who would fill that spot. For a sixth grader to step up and totally play as well as she has played is phenomenal.”

“When I first put them together, they lost their first couple of matches, then all of a sudden they beat two champs from two other regions then beat our number one doubles which was second in the region last year,” Head said.

“Was that a total surprise? It sure was,” he said. “They compliment each other and are both active at the net. They both serve well and hit the volleys well. They do a lot of things right and when you do a lot of things right in tennis it pays off at the end.”

“I think it says a lot about those two, they have stepped up and really took charge,” said Head.

Sydney Ledington, a doubles’ champion last year, moved to the singles’ bracket this year. She finished in the semifinals with teammate, Morgan Freeman, who will sign with Western Kentucky University Wednesday morning.

Freeman, the number two seed beat Blair Walden, 6-0, 6-1 and Mary Wilson of Middlesboro, 6-2, 6-1 before losing to third-seeded Chelsey Smith of Pineville, the eventual champion.

Ledington beat Whitley County’s Allyson Sweet and Taylor Perkins of Williamsburg before falling to Middlesboro’s Taylor Moyer’s 6-1, 6-2. Moyers entered the tournament as the number one ranked player.

Ledington was 20-2 heading into the region tournament. “Her only two losses has been to Moyers,” said Head. “She struggles with kids that lob the ball a lot. Hopefully this summer we can work on that.”

“I think she will surprise some people at the state tournament,” said Head. “I think she plays much better against the girls that hit harder.”

“Morgan has a really great game,” Head said. “She plays solid tennis. When we play good teams it is 60-40 that she is going to beat them. She gives you a good solid game. If she gets a good draw she will win some games at state.”

“Nikki and Bailey Freeman have only one regular season loss and that was to Greenwood where Nikki got hurt,” said Head. “For her to come back and playing as well as she is in the region speaks well of her and the desire she has. Some people just lay down and quit when they get hurt.”

“There hasn’t been any quit in her,” said Head. “She has come out and stepped up.”

“Her partner, Bailey is probably the second best player on our team,” said Head. “She can play singles, she can play doubles and is solid all around.”

“Whatever you ask of Bailey, she will give it to you,” Head added. “She just gets it done.”

Teams: Corbin 13, Middlesboro 11, Pineville 9, South Laurel 5, Whitley Co. 5, North Laurel 4, Williamsburg 4, Clay Co. 3, Bell Co. 2, Knox Central 2, Barbourville 1, Harlan 0, Lynn Camp 0.