For the first time ever, Caldwell County has a seeded player in next week’s state tennis tournament, and will have a total of six players representing the program. Action gets underway Thursday morning at the Top Seed Tennis Club and at the University of Kentucky.
On the girls side, Belle Englebright became the first tennis player ever at Caldwell County High School to receive a seed for the state tournament. Englebright was among 8 players seeded #9 for the event. She will open play Thursday morning at 8am at the Top Seed Tennis Club, when she takes on Hayden Turley, from George Rogers Clark. Should Englebright advance, she could face rematch from the regional semifinals. The winner of the match between Englebright and Turley will take on the winner of a match between Marissa Austin, of Webster County, and Jessalyn Osborn, of Lawrence County, Thursday afternoon. Englebright defeated Austin in this year’s regional semifinals.
Last year, as a sophomore, Englebright won her opening match in the state tournament, defeating Hopkinsville’s Riley Fort 6-0, 6-0. The two had met just days earlier in the semifinals of the regional tournament. Englebright would then lose her second match to #9 seed Katie Robeson, of Lexington Henry Clay 0-6, 2-6.
In 2017, as a freshman, Englebright lost a tough opening round match to Konner Gallagher, of Edmonson County, 5-7, 7-5, 0-1 (6).
Caldwell County’s Kaylee McEnaney will make her first state tournament appearance Thursday morning. The sophomore will take on Leanna Osborn, of Knox Central, at 9:15am, at the Top Seed Tennis Club.
In doubles play, Caldwell County’s regional championship team of Chasie Phelps and Maddie Morgan, both juniors, will square off against the pairing of Whitney Barnes and Emily Miller, of Bullitt Central, at 1245pm, at Top Seed Tennis Club. Last season, Morgan lost in the first round of singles play in the state tournament. Phelps and her teammate last season, Hana Dixon, lost in the opening round of doubles play.
On the boys side, Caldwell County’s pairing of Shelton Cansler and Jordan Hammett will open play at 1030am at UK. The pair will face a big challenge in the form of Hunter Armstrong and Owen Logsdon, from South Warren.
