Tennis teams also claim district titles and more

CELINA-Though the summer heat is here and high school sports wrapped up over a month ago, local athletes are in the news this week due to their spring sports accomplishments.

Lady Bulldog softball star Baylor Walden was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State Team, and details about a historic Clay County High School Tennis season have come to light.

Walden was recognized among Class A’s best after leading the Lady Dawgs on another deep postseason run as a junior with a batting average of .459, 33 RBIs, and nine home runs—all of which led her team.

She also served as Clay County’s ace pitcher and threw over 100 strikeouts in the circle, plus she had a .906 slugging percentage and 39 hits on the season, including 20 extra-base hits.

Tennis teams

have firsts, as

do individuals

Clay County High School Tennis accomplished multiple firsts this year, both as teams and individually in the regular season and come tournament time.

Individually, both senior Roman Briggs and junior Martina Riddle made history.

Riddle finished the regular season with a perfect undefeated record to enter the District 7-A Girls Individual Tournament with a #1 ranking, before finishing as the league tournament’s runner-up for the first time against competition from York Institute.

Briggs also entered the postseason ranked #1 in the boys division, where he went on to claim the District 7-A Boys Individual Championship.

He also advanced to the Region 4-A Singles Championship for the first time in school history, where he finished as the Region Runner-up and just one win away from advancing to the State Tournament, following a loss to three-time State qualifier Bode Davenport of Cannon County.

Also for the first time against competition, the Lady Bulldog team made up of Riddle, Allie Reagan, Addison Brown, Hannah Tinsley, Cori Bailey, Erin Meadows, and Kady Pereira won the District 7-A Tournament this year.

Brown and Reagan also teamed up to claim the District 7-A Double’s Championship, while Tinsley and Bailey finished as runners-up.

“We enjoyed a great season from a team standpoint and individually this year,” coach Tasha Bailey said.  “Congratulations to the entire CCHS Tennis team on their accomplishments this past season!”