Trojans tennis downs East, 6-1
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Morristown West’s boys took a 6-1 win over rival Morristown East at Frank Larino Park on Tuesday afternoon.
With the new scoring rules, teams now need to win two of three courts to take one point for doubles. The Trojans took the doubles point to help spark the win.
Braden Ross and Isaiah Daniels took court three with an 8-2 win over East’s Adam Bakette and Jason Gomes, while Bryson Whaley and Brayden Martin sealed the doubles point with an 8-1 win over Elian Perez and Gabriel McKinney on court two.
“We set the tone early in doubles,” West head coach Parker Ashford said. “With the change in high school scoring following what colleges do, the doubles point is crucial. Bryson (Whaley) and Brayden (Martin) came out swinging to clinch that point for us.”
Despite dropping the point, East’s Will Hall and Memphis Short were able to battle and take an 8-6 win over Eli Shoun and Andrew Gal on court one. Short also picked up East’s lone point with a singles win, 8-1, on court two over Martin.
“We battled a tough West lineup,” ‘Canes coach Mindi Stokely said. “Memphis Short definitely pulled his weight, winning both his doubles with Will Hall and singles match. We have a young team that is hungry to improve, so I expect to see some big things from them this season.”
Just as he did in doubles play, Braden Ross set the tone with an 8-1 win on court five over Baskette to help West gain momentum on the singles side.
“I’m super proud of Braden,” Ashford said. “That kid has been working super hard off in the off season to fight for a starting spot. He’s probably played 3-5 times each week since August and he’s earned it. He swept today in singles and doubles, and that’s a testament to the effort he’s shown to me and his teammates.”
In the middle of the lineup, Shoun and Gal each grabbed wins on courts three and four, while Brysonn Whaley handled business on court one, beating Hall 8-3. On court six, Quinn Davis took down Gomez 8-3.
After back-to-back days with matches, West takes a week off before looking to take its momentum into a match with Cocke County next Tuesday. East will host Jefferson County on Thursday.
“Today was really a good day for Morristown tennis,” Ashford said. “More than half the kids who played for both teams started their tennis journey through the local middle school league. I’m grateful to help the Lakeway Tennis Association make a huge investment in the next generation.”

