Bulldogs send Bowman out with another tennis title
Apr. 24—OXFORD — It was easy to tell the moment New Albany won another state tennis championship: A roar went up, and a student carrying a large "NA" flag sprinted alongside the courts at the PNC Tennis Center.
The Bulldogs took down Stone 7-0 on Monday afternoon to capture the Class 4A title. It's their fifth in a row and 14th overall.
"It felt pretty nice," sophomore Gregory Nelson said. "It felt expected, though. You've still got to do it."
It was appropriate send-off for Suzy Bowman, who has coached the team the past nine years. She is stepping down and taking a job with Accelerate Mississippi, a workforce development outfit.
"I'll miss a lot of things, and then some things I'm going to really enjoy (like) being a parent on the sideline and watching my kids," Bowman said.
On her final day as a coach, Bowman watched as Nelson teamed up with freshman Hunter Henson to win the No. 2 boys doubles match against Thomas Sumrall and Deakon Pearson, 6-0, 3-6, 10-7. Moments later, sophomores Carter Ladner and Matthew Durrett won No. 1 boys doubles 6-0, 7-6 (7-2) over Jon Cobb and Cayden Huse to give New Albany its fourth win of the day, and that set off the celebration.
Henson, Ladner and Durrett are all first-year varsity players.
"This is the first time they've ever gotten to experience this, and so that was exciting for them to rise to the occasion," Bowman said. "Everyone else was kind of seasoned. They had experienced this before, so they really stepped up today."
Nelson and Henson struggled in the second set but managed to regroup for the third one.
"We kind of slowed down a little bit," Henson said. "They were being real consistent, but we started playing it back to them, and it messed them up a little bit."
One of New Albany's veterans is Heidi Clayton, who cruised past Saylor Powell 6-0, 6-0 in girls singles. The sophomore has been a part of the last three state title teams.
"I was a little nervous at first, but I just started playing, and the nerves shook off a little bit," Clayton said.
Freshman Bradyn Bowman — the coach's son — beat Cree Cunningham in boys singles, 6-2, 4-6, 10-3. Bowman's powerful forehand served him sell early, but Cunningham made him work in the final two sets.
"It was kind of push versus power, and Bradyn stayed with his game and ended up winning it there at the end," Suzy Bowman said.
In girls No. 1 doubles, Caurie Clayton and Eva Aldridge defeated Mary Lott and Makenzie Rogers, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4). Gracie Mason and Sarah Robbins took No. 2 girls doubles over Andee Rogers and Meredith Matthews, 6-2, 6-1.
And in mixed doubles, Will Boyington and Natalie Creekmore bested Lane Breland and Maddy Kilpatrick, 7-5, 7-5.
