Tennis squads fall to Rebels

The Piggott Mohawk tennis teams got their 2010 season underway Thursday, Sept. 26, as they traveled to Jonesboro and took on the tough Riverside Rebels.

Both the boys and girls dropped their matches, as both squads begin the season at 0-1. The girls team fell 4-8 in their set while the boys could muster only one game in their 1-8 loss.

For the Lady Mohawks, they started their season against the team that finished fifth in the state last year in 2-A play.

In singles play the Tribe posted two wins, as Chelsea Covarrubia beat Rebecca Frayer 6-3 and Emily Graddy downed Beth Ann Snyder 7-6 (7-4). Meanwhile, Haley French fell to Anna Brickell, one of the top players in the state, 0-6; Matilda Larrson fell to the 2009 2-A state champion Taylor Bonnes 2-6; Alex Scheffler was beaten by Kyley Campbell 1-6; Katelynn Woodard fell to Kenzley Wilson 2-6; Taylor Covert was downed by Lauren Weaver 0-6, and Lauren Brown fell to McKayla Lyles 5-7.

In doubles play the girls split with the Rebels, with Covarrubia and Hallie Vannada taking their match over Bonnes and Campbell 6-4 and Brown and Vanessa Johnson getting by Kayla Rolland and Allie Lunsford 6-3. Meanwhile, Scheffler and Graddy dropped their set to Frayer and Snyder 2-6 and Shalina Rogers and Jerica Tate fell to Wilson and Weaver 0-6.

The Mohawk boys team faced a tough task in their match, as the Rebels finished third in the state last year and returned much of their talent.

In singles play Beau Wicker took his set from Jake Love, who finished fourth in the state last year, 6-3. Dropping their matches were Trevor Grubb to Logan Meurer 1-6; Hunter Holcomb fell to Josh Anderson 0-6; Will Jett dropped his game to Jake Emery 1-6; Gary Petago fell to Cody Stallings 2-6, and Dakota Burr lost to Luke Mayer 1-6. Meurer and Anderson were also ranked in the top 10 in 2-A in the state last year.

In doubles play the Tribe was swept, as Grubb and Jett fell to Love and Anderson 0-6; Wicker and Holcomb dropped their set to Meurer and Tyler Rolland 4-6 and Petago and Burr lost to Wes Sander and Emery 0-6.

The roster for coach Paul Seegraves this year includes seniors Lauren Brown, Chelsea Covarrubia, Elizabeth Ermert and Matilda Larson. Juniors are Taylor Covert, Emily Graddy, Alex Scheffler and Hallie Vannada. Sophomores on the squads include Haley French, Vanessa Johnson, Shalina Rogers, Dew Adams and Beau Wicker. The freshman group this year includes Jerica Tate, Katelynn Woodard, Dakota Burr, Trevor Grubb, Hunter Holcomb, Will Jett and Gary Petago.

With the losses the teams start the season at 0-1. Both were scheduled to be back in action this week at Jonesboro.