JOURNAL STAFF
MONROE – Byrd’s Young triplets are two matches away from bringing state titles back home.
No. 1 seed Bella Young will face Ella Mancuso of St. Joseph’s Academy this morning in the semifinals of girls’ singles at the LHSAA Division I state tennis tournament at Heard Stadium at ULM. A victory will put her in this afternoon’s championship match against the winner of Mt. Carmel’s Iris Westmoreland and Mandeville’s Natalie Devraj.
Top-seeded Sydney and Morgan Young have dropped just three games on their way to the semifinals of girls’ doubles, where they will meet Anne Guglielmo and Sophia Manuel of St. Joseph’s Academy this morning. A win will put the Byrd team in this afternoon’s championship match against the winner of the second semifinal match between Lillian Cambias and Caroline Pousson of St. Joseph’s Academy and Megan Baker and Bailey Schexnaildre of Mt. Carmel.
The Youngs defeated Brianna Daigle and Claire Dean of Denham Springs 6-0, 6-0 in the first round; Hayden Hoffman and Allaire Benedetto of St. Joseph’s Academy 6-3, 6-0 in the second round; and Madelynn McFarland and Anna Claire Smith of West Monroe 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.
Bella Young cruised through the first three rounds, defeating Brenna Mackle of Slidell 6-0, 6-0 in the first round, Roma Kolluru of Lafayette 6-1, 6-0 in the second round, and Grayce Reynolds of St. Amant 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
“It was so great to see the girls compete today,” said Byrd coach Stevie Schmidt. “I couldn’t be more proud of their play and sportsmanship.”
In Division I boys’ singles, top-seeded Drew Kolniak of Airline was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over David Zhong of Fontainebleau in the first round but was defeated by Ashton Ellis of Catholic-Baton Rouge 6-0, 6-0 in the second round.
In Division II boys’ singles, Haughton’s Zach Haley made it to the quarterfinals, where he was defeated by Assumption’s Drake Scoby 7-6, 6-1. Haley defeated St. Augustin’s Reginald Forstall 6-0, 6-2 in the first round and was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over St. Thomas More’s Carter Zembower in the second round.
In Division II girls’ singles, Natalie Sin of Caddo Magnet fell in the quarterfinals to Riley Fitzmorris of St. Scholastica 4-6, 6-3, 1-0. Sin defeated Reese Lambert of Archbishop 6-0, 6-0 in the first round and was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Mia Stelly of Teurlings Catholic in the second round.
PHOTO: by STEVIE SCHMIDT