By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports
Both the Loyola and Byrd boys’ golf teams captured district golf titles this week in preparation for next week’s regional tournaments.
Capturing the District III-1 title for Loyola were Ross Alford (71), Connor Cassano (71), Holden Webb (72), Charlie Bell, and Charles Valiulis with a team score of 289, which was 61 shots better than the second-place team.
The Division III regional tournament will be held at The Golf Club at Stonebridge in Bossier City on Monday.
Byrd took first place in the District I-1 competition with a team score of 272, followed by Benton (302), Airline (319), and Ruston (333). Grant Reagan (67), James Holtsclaw (69), Peyton Johnson (71), Duke Bowen (67), and Brown Snyder (69) led the Yellow Jackets to the title.
The second-place Benton team included Noah McWilliams (75), Cason Toms (69), Miller Davis (82), Kade Bryant (80), and Cade Robinson (78). Taking third place for Airline were Eli Hill (75), Madden Sawrie (79), Carter Priestly (80), Hunter Kendrick (85), and Jake Elbert (87).
The Division I regional tournament will be held at Huntington next Wednesday. The state tournament for Divisions I, II, III and IV will be held May 2-3 in Lafayette.
Tennis players going to state
The state tennis tournaments for Divisions I, II, III and IV will be held in Monroe next week. Divisions III and IV will compete on Monday and Tuesday while Divisions I and II will play on Thursday and Friday.
Representing Calvary in singles at the Division IV state tournament will be Cayden Simmons. Regional champions Zach Hicks and Jake Brown will represent the Cavaliers in doubles, along with the teams of Chase Stripland/Miles Williams and Mason Batts/Bryce Colvin.
Representing Loyola at the Division III state tournament will be regional champ Ravi Ahuja and Stander Olsan in boys’ singles. The Flyers will have three teams competing at state – regional winners Brannigan Bissell/James Graf, regional runners-up Charles Valiulis and Patrick Gooszen, and Bo Bowman and Gregor Ghali.
Loyola girls’ doubles teams competing at state will be Taylor Nash and Mary Elberson, Julia Hancock and Katelyn Pavlick, and Addison Knox and Cassidy Kirk. State qualifiers in singles for Loyola are Tristin Knox and Stella Marie Hobley-Depestre.
Competing in girls’ singles at the Division I state tournament will be Byrd’s Bella Young (regional champ) and Elizabeth Hubble and Captain Shreve’s Faith Quarles. Regional champs Morgan and Sydney Young will represent Byrd in girls’ doubles along with Captain Shreve’s Katherine Ferrier and Baylor Thornton.
Freshman Drew Kolniak, who won the regional title, will represent Airline in boys’ singles along with teammate Madden Sawrie and Captain Shreve’s Hayden McFarlain. Doubles teams competing at state will be Ronit Ahluwalia and Carter Priestley of Airline along with James Auer and Mark Quarles of Captain Shreve.
In Division II, girls’ singles players will include Natalie Sin and Thuy Chau of Caddo Magnet, Haughton’s Addison Yarbrough, and Benton’s Raelee Craft. Girls’ doubles teams competing will be Tuyen Chau and Neelie Lim of Caddo Magnet and Haughton’s Mallory Benton and Shelby Haley.
Competing in boys’ singles will be Haughton’s Zach Haley and Benton’s Alex Gonzalez. Caddo Magnet has two doubles teams competing – Thaeh Chau/Marshall O’Callaghan and Ethan Hood/Daniel Wright.
Querbes Cup deadline extended
The deadline is approaching to play in one of the most unique tennis events around. While registration officially closes on Sunday, that deadline has been extended until Wednesday, April 27 for the 2nd Annual Querbes Cup, which will be held on Saturday, April 30 at Querbes Tennis Center.
“We use a little different format than most places,” says Querbes tennis pro Chris Dudley. “There’s more of a social feel.”
The team-format doubles competition will include 6.0-8.0 Combo for Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Doubles. Each team will consist of three doubles teams, some mixed, some men’s, and some ladies. Teams will be announced at the player party on Friday, April 29.
Entry fee of $60 per player covers food, drinks, play, and the Friday Player Party. Play begins at 8 a.m. Saturday. Players are guaranteed three rounds. For more information, contact Michael Schaff at 318-673-7787 or michael@querbestenniscenter.net.
Got info on local golf or tennis?
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Photo by HARRIET PENROD
