Henry Clay, Lafayette players earn repeat victories in 11th Region tennis championships

Henry Clay sophomore Anna Du prioritized composure along the path to repeating as the 11th Region girls’ singles tennis champion Thursday.

But, once she got to the finals match, Du didn’t waste any time — defeating worthy opponent Katie Lankford of Lexington Christian, an eighth grader and the No. 2 seed, in two sets, 6-0, 6-0.

“I’m really happy,” Du said. “Coming in, this was a lot of pressure. But just knowing that I kept my composure and just worked through one match at a time really helped.”

Last year, as a freshman and the No. 3 seed, Du upset the defending region champion. Despite more than a decade of tennis experience, she noted that her sophomore season felt different, what with the added pressure and expectations following the 2023 singles title. What wasn’t different, however, was her approach; Du’s key to victory is “just staying calm.”

“Last year, I came in as a freshman and I really had no expectations for myself,” Du said. “But this year, as the one seed, there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation. So just that growth from last year to this year helped me to get to this spot again.”

Du was one of two repeat winners of last year’s events, as top-seeded Lafayette boys’ doubles unit Charlie Mooney and Zachary Thompson remained the 11th Region’s best with a 6-2, 6-2 finals victory over Henry Clay’s Max Hixson and Milo Johnson, the No. 2 seed.

“Ugly win,” Mooney said.

Mooney and Thompson — a sophomore and junior, respectively, who first competed together ahead of last year — were granted the No. 1 seed for a second consecutive region championship and found themselves across the net from friends in the title match.

Due to conflicts with AP testing, the boys’ doubles match started later than any of the other three finals contests, but was impossible to miss once it began; loud, constant communication and celebration on both sides of the net, and animated encouragement from both the Lafayette and Henry Clay faithful.

“That was nothing,” Thompson laughed. “It was expected.”

CATHOLIC VS. CATHOLIC

The girls’ doubles contest, which resulted in a 7-5, 6-2 victory for senior Hallie Lathram and seventh grader Callie Cranfill, was going to be a win-win for Lexington Catholic tennis, regardless of which pair took the match.

Because not only did the Knights have fourth-seeded Lathram and Cranfill make an impressive run to the finals match, they also sent fifth-seeded Nicole Hanna and Stella Benedetti.

“They’re four of my stronger players,” Lexington Catholic head coach Gabby Meis said. “They have worked so hard over the year, over the season, to get where they are right now. I don’t have words to describe my feelings right now. I’m very happy for both of (the pairings) because we’re going to state, and just the potential that they’re having on the court.”

Lathram (a Thomas More signee) has demonstrated her talent and skill set for years now, earning her first career region championship in her third and final trip to a finals match — “Feels great,” Lathram said. “This is my third time in the region finals, and I finally got a ‘W.’”

But the Lathram/Cranfill duo has barely scratched the surface; the 11th Region Tournament marked the very first event in which they’d competed as doubles partners.

“I’d just say that we stayed positive, even though we struggled at times,” Cranfill said. “We were always able to come back strong.”

“Communication is always key,” Lathram said. “Keeping each other at a calm level.”

A STRONG FINISH

Lexington Christian senior Will Howell knows that any match against Tates Creek eighth grader Evan Fombey, who he trains with at the University of Kentucky, is a difficult one, so it wasn’t entirely surprising when the match went to a tiebreaker.

The last match to finish by far had already drawn a crowd of LCA and Tates Creek supporters, but its intensity caught the attention of the other, long-over, matches’ spectators. The back-and-forth affair pitted Howell, the top seed, against No. 2 Fombey, who forced the tiebreaker after an impressive comeback. Howell, ultimately, came out on top, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 1-0 (7).

“It was long, It was a grind,” Howell said. “But, you know, I just had to push through. I thank my family and friends for coming out to support me. It’s been a long week. But I’m glad I got done. A great opponent. Very good. It was just back and forth the whole match.”

This is Howell’s second 11th Region tennis championship during his time with the Eagles, having also earned a doubles title as a sophomore in 2022 alongside partner Isaiah Smith. Howell said it was meaningful to earn the 11th Region singles title as a senior, and that a past version of him wouldn’t have been able to foresee it.

“It’s crazy. If you told me this, like freshman year. I wouldn’t have believed you,” Howell said. “But I won doubles as a sophomore. And I just knew I had to really, really grind the offseason. I play two other (sports), soccer and football in the fall, so I just knew it was possible. I was very fortunate in a few matches, and I thank my coaches, family, for everything they’ve done.”

▪ The inaugural 11th Region team tournaments will be held at Sayre on Monday (semifinals) and Tuesday (finals).

11TH REGION TOURNAMENT

(All semifinalists advance to the state tournament)

BOYS’ SINGLES

Champion: Will Howell, Lexington Christian (7-6 [2], 2-6, 1-0 [7]); Finalist: Evan Fomby, Tates Creek; Semifinalists: Josiah Russell, Franklin County; Jacob Holland, Lexington Catholic.

GIRLS’ SINGLES

Champion: Anna Du, Henry Clay (6-0, 6-0); Finalist: Katie Lankford, Lexington Christian; Semifinalists: Sydney Zakic, Scott County; Greer Webb, Sayre.

BOYS’ DOUBLES

Champion: Zachary Thompson/Charlie Mooney, Lafayette (6-2, 6-2); Finalist: Milo Johnson/Max Hixson, Henry Clay; Semifinalists: Nick Colon/Thomas Chandler, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Price Eisele/Nikan Rosenau, Paul Laurence Dunbar.

GIRLS’ DOUBLES

Champion: Hallie Lathram/Callie Cranfill, Lexington Catholic (7-5, 6-2); Finalist: Nicole Hanna/Stella Benedetti, Lexington Catholic; Semifinalists: Eva Pace Cassidy/Charlotte Young, Henry Clay; Olivia Watson/Ava Fallon, Sayre.

ALL-REGION TEAMS

Boys: Will Howell, Lexington Christian; Josiah Russell, Franklin County; Jacob Holland, Lexington Catholic; Evan Fomby, Tates Creek; Zachary Thompson, Lafayette; Charlie Mooney, Lafayette; Nick Colon, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Thomas Chandler, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Price Eisele, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Nikan Rosenau, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Max Hixson, Henry Clay; Milo Johnson, Henry Clay; Jack Backer, Sayre; David Tofan, Model; Atharva Dang, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Kevin Rhyne, Lexington Christian.

Girls: Anna Du, Henry Clay; Sydney Zakic, Scott County; Greer Webb, Sayre; Katie Lankford, Lexington Christian; Eva Pace Cassidy, Henry Clay; Charlotte Young, Henry Clay; Hallie Lathram, Lexington Catholic; Callie Cranfill, Lexington Catholic; Olivia Watson, Sayre; Ava Fallon, Sayre; Nicole Hanna, Lexington Catholic; Stella Benedetti, Lexington Catholic; Katherine Nova, Henry Clay; Camilla Lindahl, Lafayette; Maggie Adams, Frederick Douglass; Lily Harper, Lexington Christian.

OTHER HONORS

11th Region Coach of the Year Awards: Boys — Britt Chandler, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Girls — David Hardesty, Henry Clay.

USTA Senior Sportsmanship Awards: Boys — Price Eisele, Paul Laurence Dunbar; Girls — Greer Webb, Sayre.