State Tennis Tournaments Bring Championships To Local Schools
Bob Jones sophomore Parker Free celebrates his winning the Class 7A state championship as No. 1 boys singles in the AHSAA State Tournament held in Mobile. Photo Contributed
The Madison Academy boy’s team captured the Class 4A/5A State Championship for the second straight year. Leading the charge for the Mustangs were Grady Byrne and Joe Allen, top photo, and brothers Parker and Houston Jacques, bottom photo. Photo Contributed
Parker Free, sophomore, of Bob Jones, who finished runner-up in 2021 as a freshman, was on a winning mission this year and collected the state championship in Class 7A boys No. 1 singles with an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Samuel Sellers of Hoover. Free advanced to the tournament finals by defeating Jake Anthony of Vestavia Hills in the first round 6-3, 6-2 and Kaleb Kirkland of Auburn 6-4, 6-2 in round two. Free turned up his play a notch in the finals to grab the coveted state championship.
The remainder of the Patriots’ team at the State Tournament included in No.2 singles, Reed Rafferty who won his first match 6-3, 6-1 over Shayne Bodalia of Daphne before falling in his second match to Huntsville’s Evan Williams 2-6, 4-6. The remaining members of the Patriots’ squad advancing to state play all fell in their opening match. Those included: No. 3 Jonah Moro, 1-6, 3-6, Carter Chase (Auburn); No. 4 Ashwin Prabhaker, 0-6, 0-6, Kade Nelson (Vestavia Hills); No. 5 Hunter Johnston, 0-6, 0-6, Luke Bedwell (Vestavia Hills); No. 6 Joe Aldridge, 1-6, 1-6, Drew Castleberry (Vestavia Hills).
For the Mustangs of Madison Academy, it’s their second consecutive state championship in Class 4A/5A at the Mobile Tennis Center and again were led by Parker Jacques who won his second straight No. 1 singles title and teamed with his brother, Houston, to claim the doubles crown for the second year in a row. Madison Academy finished with 65 points edging out LAMP by a close margin of 65-62 to win the team trophy.
Parker Jacques, a senior and headed to play tennis at Georgia, defeated LAMP’s Edward Lee 7-5, 6-1 to repeat at 4A/5A No.1 singles champion. He made his way to the finals with victories including 6-0, 6-0 over Anderson Lambert (Boaz), 6-0, 6-0 over Gabe Perkins (Satsuma) and 6-1, 6-2 over Mason Howard (Douglas).
For Houston Jacques, a freshman on the Mustang’s squad, he took the state title in No. 2 singles by defeating Ian Kim (LAMP) 6-0, 6-2 and Isaac Faucett (Boaz) 6-0, 6-0. The Jacques brothers also took home the No. 1 doubles title with a 6-0, 6-0 whitewash of Toba Rias and Josh Harvey of Saint James.
The remainder of the state champion squad from Madison Academy included No. 3 Sam Fulkerson falling in the finals 3-6, 2-6 to Ian Shin (LAMP), but made his way to the finals with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Sutton Gregg (Altamont), 4-6, 6-1, 10-7 over Brody Black (Deshler) and 6-4, 6-4 over Fletcher Highey (John Carroll); No. 4 Matt Perkins, 4-6, 4-6 Doug Frederick (John Carroll); No. 5 Grady Byrne 6-1, 6-1 John Kim (Altamont), 6-2, 4-6, 3-10 Ryan Jeong (Saint James); No. 6 Joe Allen 6-0, 6-0 Cooper Allen (American Christian Academy), 6-0, 6-2 Noah Bishop (Leeds), 6-1, 6-3 Raji Sudarshan (Altamont), 7-5, 6-2 Richard Chen (LAMP) to win the state title giving the Mustangs three of six individual state championships.
