State singles, doubles tournaments begin Thursday

The state’s best high school singles and doubles players will converge in Lexington as the 2016 Republic Bank/KHSAA State Tennis Championships get underway Thursday.

Lexington is well-represented among the top-seeded players in all four tournaments. The boys will open at Boone-Downing Tennis Complex on the University of Kentucky’s campus while the girls will start at Shillito Park. All four events will move to UK beginning with the round of 16 on Friday.

Paul Laurence Dunbar freshman Matt Halpin and Lexington Catholic senior Allison Quammen each were seeded fifth in their respective singles fields. If the favorites win out, Halpin would meet No. 1 overall seed Drew Singerman of St. Xavier in the quarterfinals while Quammen would get No. 1 seed Michele McKamey of McCracken County in the quarters. Singerman and McKamey played on court one during their teams’ respective finals wins in the state team tournament last weekend.

Also in boys’ singles, Henry Clay’s Alex Dubilier starts off with a tough opponent in St. Xavier’s Alex Westbrooks, the No. 2 overall seed. Adam Slone of Lexington Christian meets Cameron Pennington of East Carter in the first round of singles play. Dunbar’s Bryce Shelton drew Josh Joiner of Danville.

Henry Clay’s Keifer Mays and Noah Tapp were seeded third overall in boys’ doubles. Will Andrews and Matt Telfer, also of Henry Clay, received a five seed and will face South Oldham’s Dillon Bezehertny and Tony Liu.

Model’s Blake Benson and Cole Wilson clash with LexCath’s Ben Deaton and Troy True on the first day, guaranteeing at least one 11th Region boys’ duo to advance.

In girls’ singles, LexCath’s Amanda Miller was paired with Eden Webb of Lawrence County. It’s possible she and 11th Region companion Rosie Halpin (Dunbar) could meet in the round of 16 on Friday. Halpin drew Paducah Tilghman’s Molly Shannon in the first round. LCA eighth-grader Lauren Waddles starts her tournament against Ally Delaney out of Hancock County.

Sayre’s Caroline Hager and Grace Headley received a five seed and a first-round date with Corbin’s Emily Morton and Cora Stevens. Hager and Headley would meet No. 2-seeded Madelyn Kauffman and Sophia Shibben from McCracken County in the quarterfinals if both groups win out. LCA’s Jessica Hill and Caroline Lancaster open with Sarah Englert and Emily Klump out of Owensboro Catholic. The LCA duo would likely face Kauffman and Shibben in the second round.

LexCath’s Merrick Irwin and Kiley Mair start off against Lawrence County’s Maci Pollack and Jordan Stepp. Scott County’s Lauren Moore and Jessica Salyers drew Ashley Bergmann and Hannah Craft from Knott County Central.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "State singles, doubles tournaments begin Thursday."