University Heights Academy’s Stephen Whitecotton remains in the hunt for a Region 2 Tennis Tournament championship after advancing to the semifinals on Monday at the Ruff Park Tennis Courts.
Whitecotton, the No. 2 seed, defeated Madisonville-North Hopkins’ Nick Burns 6-0, 6-1 and advanced past Fort Campbell’s Giacomo Vaccoro 6-4, 6-1.
The Blazers’ top player will play either Lyon County’s Sebastian Villanueva or Henderson County’s Jaxton Duncan. They are scheduled to play today.
Top seed Simone Amadoria of Fort Campbell also advanced to the semifinals and will play either Hopkins Central’s Cohl Hoard or Madisonville’s Caleb Tagg.
In doubles play, top seed Larkins and Heath of Madisonville will play Henderson County’s Duncan and Duncan, the fourth seed, in one semifinal. The other semifinal match will feature No. 2 seed Mays and Pinkerton of Madisonville against 11th seed Troxel and Jenkins, of Henderson County, who upset the third seed team of Cooper Fort and Noah Davis, of Christian County, 6-6, 4-7, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.
Hopkinsville’s singles entries of Aiden Riley and Jesus Tomas both saw their seasons come to an end.
Henderson’s Jace Evans defeated Tomas 6-0, 6-0 and Madisonville’s Burns beat Riley 6-1, 6-0.
It also was a tough day on the courts for Heritage Christian Academy as Ben Hensley lost a long battle with Lyon County’s Jaise Riley 6-2, 6-1.
Villanueva advanced past the Warriors’ Austin Brown 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles play, the Warriors’ team of Everett Hall and Jordan Starks fell to Union County’s Elam/Gurten 6-4, 6-1.
UHA’s Teerth Shah, the fourth seed, was upset in the quarterfinals by Hopkins County Central’s Cohl Hoard 6-2, 6-1.
The Blazers’ doubles team of Paxton Aldridge and Brad Simmons fell to Hopkins County Central’s Broady/Scott 4-6, 6-1, 7-6. UHA’s other doubles team of Trent Simmons and Estes fell to Mays and Pinkerton 6-0, 6-0.
For Christian County, Jeffrey Joiner dropped a 6-2, 6-1 decision to Caleb Tagg.
The semifinalists advance to the Sectional Tournament on May 20 at South Warren High School.
The Girls’ Region 2 Tennis Tournament is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. today at Ruff Park’s tennis courts.
Photos by Joe Wilson