The season ended for Kosciusko tennis as a team with a 4-3 loss to Itawamba AHS Monday in the second round of the 4A playoffs.
Kosciusko victories were by Daniel Van in boys singles 6-4, 6-0, Kayden Tyler in girls singles 6-0, 6-2 and the No. 1 girls doubles team of Kayla Anderson and Olivia Cockroft 6-2, 6-1. Itawamba won both boys doubles, girls No, 2 doubles and mixed doubles.
But the season is not over for Van, Tyler and the mixed doubles team of Elizabeth Orduna and Rodrigo Arvizu. Van and Tyler won the Region 4-4 individual tournament hosted by West Lauderdale, while Orduna and Arvizu were runnerup. That qualified them for the state individual tournament at FNC Tennis Center in Oxford, beginning April 25.
Van attributed his success to his serve and backhand, but said the forehand needs improvement. “I feel like I can do better. I hope to improve by the time I get to state.”
He defeated players from West Lauderdale 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals and Northeast Lauderdale 6-0, 6-3 in the finals.
Tyler attributed her 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ashton Williams of West Lauderdale in the final to consistency. “Everything she hit, I hit back. That’s how you win.”
She had a 6-0, 6-0 win over a player from Leake Central in the semifinals.
Van and Tyler are both sophomores.
Orduna and Arvizu defeated a team from Northeast Lauderdale 6-4, 6-0 before losing in the final to a team from West Lauderdale 6-1, 6-0.
The state tournament will have 16 each of boys singles, girls singles, boys doubles, girls doubles and mixed doubles, with four seeds in each. As of Tuesday this week, the brackets had not been posted on the MHSAA website.
The loss to Itawamba ended a strong season that saw the Whippets finish second behind West Lauderdale in 4-4A and defeat South Pontotoc in the opening round of the playoffs 4-3.
