Bayou District tennis heats up as locals look to finish strong

At the midway point of the high school tennis season in the Bayou District, once again Assumption has solidified itself as the uninhibited leader on both the girls’ and boys’ sides.

But because tennis is an individual sport, the Regional tournament advances players, not schools, to state.

That means regardless of a school’s win-loss record, there’s still hope for many local singles and doubles players to reach the State tournament.

After the regular season ends, the Regional tournament will take place April 28 and 29, and it will include schools from the Bayou District and the New Orleans area.

Depending on the number of entries in the Regional tournament, roughly five singles players and seven doubles teams will qualify for state, according to Central Lafourche coach Shelly Vedros.

Although as a team Central Lafourche boys are 4-4 and girls are 1-7, Vedros added his No. 1 boys doubles team and No. 1 girls singles player should have a great chance to qualify for state.

Kelsey Dempster defeated Thibodaux’s No. 1 singles player Andrea Azema Thursday, 7-5, 6-3, but it wasn’t easy for the Trojan with only two defeats this season.

“We had a couple of long rallies. It was probably one of the hardest matches I played this season,” said the senior. “I just want to do the best I can and go ahead to regionals and play well there too.”

Both of Dempster’s losses were against Assumption’s No. 1 seed, something Vedros said there is no shame in.

“Kelsey is consistent. She’ll get back pretty much anything,” said Vedros. “She’s good on the court. She plays all the time away from here so she’s really dedicated.”

On the boys’ side, Vedros is excited about the prospects of his No. 1 doubles team, Philip Joseph and Dillon Adams.

“They haven’t lost yet, which is pretty good for juniors,” said Vedros. “They communicate well. They work hard all the time.”

Joseph and Adams played doubles together as freshmen and sophomores, but they decided they wanted to try singles at the start of this season.

“I guess we missed each other and switched back to doubles,” said Adams. “We’re just really good friends; we play every day.”

The juniors are 5-0 so far in district play, including a win against Assumption’s No. 1 doubles team, a feat the duo said has given them a great deal of confidence moving forward.

“Especially since they beat Assumption, they see how good they really can be,” said Vedros. “They’ve been working a little harder once they’ve seen it.”

Joseph and Adams defeated Thibodaux’s No. 1 doubles team Thursday, 6-3, 6-4, a competitive defeat for the sophomore Tigers Justin Andras and Jake Martinez who are now 7-2 in district play and looking to make a run at state as well.

As a team, the Thibodaux boys still have an outside shot at the district title with a 6-3 record, but winning the battle for second is more likely according to coach Patrice Hidalgo.

“We have 13 guys, and they get to business,” said Hidalgo. “They do what they need to do and get it done. I’m looking for at least one doubles team to go [to state] and one singles guy to go [to state].”

The Thibodaux girls have about a .500 record in district play, according to coach Edgar Benoit, who said his team needs experience on the court before Regionals because his team is so young.

“At Regionals we’re going to see even better players,” said Benoit. “We need to keep getting better and learn to play when the ball comes faster and react better.”

Benoit added his team’s best shots at reaching state are in the form of his No. 1 singles player Azema and his No. 1 doubles team Jessie Brannagan and Bobbie Fremin.

Thibodaux sophomore doubles team Justin Andras (left) and Jake Martinez attempt to hold serve against Central Lafourche Thursday. * Photo by RICHARD FISCHER