Russellville tennis gets strong start in sectional

By Staff
Scot Beard
Both the Russellville boys and girls tennis teams had strong showings at the sectional tournament Tuesday.
The Lady Tigers had at least four appearances in the finals while the boys had at least seven spots in the finals.
The tournament ended too late for the finals to be included in today's edition of The Franklin County Times.
In boys semifinal action, Russellville No.-2 John McAllister beat Muscle Shoals 7-6, 6-2 while No.-3 Kiefer Rea defeated Athens 6-1, 6-1. The Tigers' No.-4 Tyler Malone beat Athens 6-3, 6-1 while No.-5 Carson Hutchins knocked off Hartselle 6-3, 6-4 and No.-6 John-Michael Mayfield beat Athens 6-4, 6-3.
Russellville No.-1 player Brent Malone had not finished his singles match by press time.
In the doubles semifinals, Russellville's No.-1 team of Hutchins and Mayfield defeated Lee 6-0, 6-3 while the No.-2 team of Rea and Malone beat Hartselle 6-1, 6-0. The Golden Tigers' No.-3 team of John McAllister and Nathan McAllister had not completed its match against Muscle Shoals.
In girls semifinals action, Kalee Jones defeated Athens 6-4, 6-3 in No.-1 singles while Kelly King beat Athens 6-2, 6-2 in No.-5 singles and Courtney Ray knocked off Lee-Huntsville 6-1, 6-0 in No.-6 singles.
Russellville's Ashley Askew lost in the No.-4 semifinals to Hartselle 6-3, 6-4.
Millie Fisher's No.-2 singles semifinal match against Lee and Abbey Harbin's No.-3 singles semifinal match against Lee were not completed at press time.
The Lady Tigers No.-3 doubles team of Jones and Askew defeated Athens 6-0, 6-1. The other doubles teams failed to advance. The No.-1 team of Fisher and Harbin lost to Muscle Shoals 6-0, 7-2 while the No.-2 team of King and Ray lost to Hartselle 6-4, 6-1.
The top two teams at the sectional tournaments along with No.-1 single and No.-1 doubles team that wins the section tournament will earn a trip to the state finals next Monday and Tuesday at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile.