Sydney Cassady and Natalie Noble have become quite the team over the years.
“It helps that we’re best friends,” Noble said of the connection she and Cassady have on the court. “We know each other really well and are very comfortable playing with each other. We’re not scared to tell each other tips and stuff like that. We just work so well together.”
Ever since they first teamed up as freshman, the duo has been nothing short of successful as doubles players for the South Warren girls’ tennis team — and they added another big achievement to their impressive resume on Wednesday.
After cruising through the first three rounds of the Region 4 Girls’ Tennis Tournament, Cassady and Noble put the icing on the cake by defeating Greenwood’s Christie Lin and Kate Young 2-0 (6-2, 6-0) at Keriakes Park to capture the doubles championship for a fourth consecutive season.
“It definetely doesn’t feel as good as winning the first one because the first one was just so surprising. We didn’t know that was going to happen — at all,” Cassady said. “This being the fourth time, we kinda knew that was gonna happen — but anything can happen. We still came out with the mentality that we still need to keep the pressure on and don’t let up at all.”
Lin and Young battled with Cassady and Noble early, but the duo quickly calmed themselves, found their usual groove and went to work — as usual.
“They’ve just gotten better every year,” South Warren coach Chad Young said. “This has probably been the most enjoyable ride because we’ve played some of the best teams in the state. They’ve just gone about it in a professional way and just took care of business — and did that today.”
Greenwood’s Lancaster wins third straight boys’ singles title
Another year, another championship for Jacks Lancaster.
A young, successful member of the Greenwood boys’ tennis team, Lancaster defeated Bowling Green’s John Guthrie 2-0 (6-4, 6-2) Wednesday in the Region 4 Boys’ Tennis Tournament singles final to claim his third consecutive regional crown.
“It’s a good feeling, but I’m used to winning tournaments,” Lancaster said. “It’s a good feeling.”
Lancaster and Guthrie — meeting in the final for a second straight year — battled back and forth throughout the match, and Guthrie held multiple leads, but Lancaster ultimately came out on top and Guthie earned another runner-up finish.
“It was definetely a grind of a match,” Guthrie said. “We both know each other play and both went in with a gameplan. I think he executed it a lot better than me today and was just a better opponent today.”
Metcalfe’s Gallagher claims girls’ singles crown, Greenwood duo wins boys’ doubles title
Metcalfe County’s Konner Gallagher defeated Greenwood’s Greer Glosick 2-0 (7-5, 6-1) to win her first Region 4 Girls’ Tournament singles championship.
After going back-and-forth with Greer in the first set, Gallagher had the upper edge throughout the second and was able to capture the title.
“I’m not sure the last year we’ve had a singles title won. I know it’s pretty historic,” Gallagher said. “I’m definetely happy about it.”
Rounding out Wednesday’s regional finals, Greenwood’s duo of Landon Gann and Parker Young defeated Dylan Dethridge and Will Parks — another pair of Gators — 2-0 (6-2, 6-2) to claim the boys’ doubles championship.
“It’s what we work in the offseason for,” Greenwood coach Tim Dethridge said. “The kids are putting the time in — and it showed today. Our work’s done at this level, but we still have bigger goals that we’ve gotta achieve.”
