GHS Tennis sends six to 4A Region I tournament

Six Graham High School tennis athletes are heading to the regional tournament in Lubbock next week after competing in the District 6-4A tournament last weekend in Glen Rose. At the district tournament, GHS was represented by district champions in girls’ singles and mixed doubles.

Jade Dospapas took first overall in the District 6-4A girls’ singles tournament. Josh Gipson finished runner-up in boys’ singles after an injury forced Gipson to retire in the championship match. Gipson and Brownwood’s Peter Le were tied 3-3 in the third set when Gipson suffered a severe leg cramp.

“They were playing an incredible match that could (have) gone either way”, GHS tennis coach Mandy Cernosek said.

The mixed doubles teams of Regan Birdwell/Luke Qualls and John Upton/Rebekah McCord took first and second overall, respectively.

Dospapas, Gipson, Birdwell, Qualls, Upton and McCord all advanced to the 4A Region I tournament taking place April 12-13 at McLeod Tennis Center in Lubbock.

GHS was also represented by five other athletes in last weekend’s district tournament. Sydney Jenson took fourth place in girls’ singles. The doubles teams of Jaydon Noyola/Scott Grimes and Desire Partida/Jadyn Martin each took fourth place in their respective doubles divisions.

“We did great at district,” Cernosek said. “Overall, the girls won District 6-4A and the boys received District 6-4A runner-up. We had an incredible finish.”