Blue Devil netters see action against Marion

The West Memphis boys and girls tennis teams saw action against Marion on Tuesday at Meadowbrook Country Club.

The boys won two out of their three matches with Marion while the Lady Devils lost four of six matches to the Patriots.

In girls singles play, West Memphis' Sydney Patton lost to Margaret Crain 8-2 and Blue Devil Ja'Kayla Beason lost 8-1 to Crain.

In girls doubles, West Memphis' Samantha Holt and Taylor Brossett lost 8-6 to Marion's Kelly Pederson and Kora Wilson. Riley Langston and Abby Chamness of West Memphis defeated Latham and Boney of Marion 8-1. Holt and Brossett defeated Latham and Boney 6-0. Langston and Chamness lost to Wilson and Pederson 6-0.

In boys singles, Warren Mullen of West Memphis defeated David Murray 8-4 and William Tennison of West Memphis defeated Colby Hayes of Marion 8-2.

In boys doubles, Mullen and Tennison lost to Jay Nichols and Eli White of Marion 6-2, 6-0.

Lady Devil netters edge out Marion on Tuesday

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The West Memphis girls stood tall in tennis action Tuesday at Marion.

The Lady Devils won 5 matches to 4, headlined by sophomore Samantha Holt's 8-0 singles victory over Marion's Meredith Whited.

In other girls singles matches, Tayler Brossett of West Memphis defeated Margaret Crain 8-3 and lost 9-7 to Whited. West Memphis' Reagan Walls lost to Harris Hale 8-3 and to Margaret Crain 8-5. Sydney Patton of West Memphis defeated Avery Boney 8-0.

In girls doubles play, the West Memphis team of Ella Benson and Abby Chamness lost to Kelly Pederson and Kora Wilson 8-0, but defeated Brooke Beyer and Leah Henson 8-3.

West Memphis' Ja'Kayla Beason and Maura Prater defeated Hale and Boney 8-3.

In boys singles, West Memphis' Warren Mullen lost to Parker Tyler 8-0 and Blue Devil Miller Kearney lost to Tyler 8-2.

In boys doubles, West Memphis' Kearney and Mullen defeated Jay Nichols and Ryan Alam 8-0.

Brossett provides two wins for Blue Devil tennis team

The West Memphis tennis team saw action on Monday at Meadowbrook Country Club for the second time this season.

Squaring off against Wynne, the Blue Devil ladies were led in singles play by Tayler Brossett, who took two victories. Brossett defeated Zoe Colvin 8-0 and then ousted Sidney McDaniel 8-4.

Samantha Holt of West Memphis defeated Erika Faircloth 8-2. Reagan Walls lopst 8-3 to McDaniel while Riley Langston lost to McDaniel 8-3.

In girls singles, Ella Benson and Abby Chamness of West Memphis defeated Jasi Carnes and Hope Blackmon 8-5. Walls and Langston lost to Carnes and Blackmon 8-4. Mailey mcAuley and Sydney Patton of West Memphis lost to Colvin and Faircloth 8-2. Maura prater and Ja'Kayla Beason lost to Colvin and Faircloth 8-0.

In boys singles play, Warren Mullen lost to Colton Mingo 8-3 and also lost 6-0 to Ryan Clark. Blue Devil senior Miller Kearneylost to Clark 8-2 and 6-0 to Mingo.

In boys doubles, the West Memphis team of Kearney and Mullen defeated Parker Ellis and Evan Patterson 8-2 and they also defeated Ellis and Miller 8-2.

Blue Devil netters tip off season against Paragould

The West Memphis tennis team got its season off on the right foot Tuesday at Meadowbrook Country Club with a match against Paragould.

The Blue Devils swept the three girls singles matches as Tayler Brossett defeated Kathlyn McHaney 8-0 and Grace Jankovick 8-2. West Memphis sophomore Samantha Holt, who finished eighth in the state last season, defeated Kathlyn McHaney 8-2.

The Lady Devils also swept the doubles competition starting with Ella Benson and Abby Chamness defeating Jankovick/McHaney 8-4 and Arianna Oliver/Kaylie Wilcockson 6-0.

Reagan Walls and Riley Langston won 8-3 over Wilcockson/Keely Pyland and then beating Jankovick/McHaney 8-3.

Mailey McAuley and Sydney Patton ousted Wilcockson/Pyland 8-3 and also Oliver/Jazmine Madden 8-0.

Maura Prater and Ja'Kayla Beason defeated Oliver/Madden 8-5.

In boys singles, West Memphis' Warren Mullen lost to Sam Cook 8-1 and Isaac Cook 8-2. Mullen then defeated Nelson McHaney 6-2.

Miller Kearney of West Memphis lost to Cook 6-1.

In boys doubles, Kearney/Mullen lost to Blaine Wood/Cole Edwards 8-2.

The Blue Devils will return to action next Monday at Meadowbrook against Wynne.

Ninth-grader Holt qualifies for state competition

By Billy Woods

WM School District

West Memphis ninth-grader Samantha Holt qualified for the state tennis tournament last week with a pair of victories to finish in fourth place in the 5A-East Conference girls singles tournament in Paragould.

In the first round, Holt defeated Maryn Deese of Marion 6-0, 6-0 and then defeated Cambelle Lance of Mountain Home 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the semifinals, where she lost to Meagan Beck of Mountain Home 6-3, 6-2.

Holt also lost in the consolation round to Jonesboro's Madison Shelton 8-3.

Holt will advance to the state tournament at Hot Springs Lakeside on Oct. 15.

In other results for the Blue Devils in the conference tournament, ninth-grader Tayler Brossett defeated Addie Beck of Mountain Home 6-4 and 7-5 before falling to Meagan Beck 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

The victories by Holt and Brossett gave the Lady Devils a fourth-place finish in the tournament behind Jonesboro, Mountain Home and Searcy.

In boys singles, Ethan McAdoo of West Memphis lost to Justin Kamerman of Searcy 6-0, 6-0.

In girls doubles, Ella Benson and Riley Langston of West Memphis lost to Parker and Parker of Jonesboro 6-2, 6-3. Abby Chamness and Mailey McAuley of West Memphis lost 6-1, 7-5 to Porter and Simpson of Searcy.

In boys doubles, Blue Devils Carter Henson and Warren Mullen lost to Hamrick and Robinson of Searcy 6-0, 6-0 while the team of John Robert Henson and Miller Kearney lost 6-1, 6-1 to Sam and Ryan Arp of Mountain Home.

Blue Devil netters see action against Mountain Home

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The West Memphis Blue Devil tennis team saw action Tuesday at Meadowbrook Country Club against Mountain Home.

In boys singles, West Memphis' Ethan McAdoo lost to Banks Gregory 8-0 and to Dodge Harris 8-0.

In boys doubles, the Blue Devil team of Miller Kearney and John Ryan Henson lost to Jake McGehee and Clayton Jones 8-1 while Warren Mullen and Carter Henson lost to Sam Arp and Alex Arp 8-1. Kearney and Henson lost to the Arp brothers 8-1 and Mullen and Henson lost to McGhee and Jones 8-0.

In girls singles, West Memphis' Samantha Holt lost to Meagan Beck 8-4 while Tayler Brossett defeated Campbell Lance 8-3. Also Brossett lost to Beck 8-1 and West Memphis' Reagan Walls lost to Karoline Yeakley 6-1.

In girls doubles, Riley Langston and Ella Benson of West Memphis lost to Godfrey and Macy Heide 8-0 while Abby Chamness and Benson lost to McKayla McClain and Mandeline Smeltzer 8-0. Chamness and Mailey McAuley lost to McClain and Smeltzer 8-2 and the West Memphis team of Sydney Patton and Ja'Kayla Beason lost to Lance and Yeakley 6-0.

Bennage signs to play tennis at Christian Brothers University

By Billy Woods

WM School District

Carlson Bennage put a cap on his historic high school tennis career Wednesday at the Academies of West Memphis Performing Arts Center.

The two-time boys singles state champion signed scholarship papers with Christian Brother University amid family, friends and school administrators.

"It's a huge day and I'm incredibly excited that all the people showed up," said the son of Mike and Jane Bennage.

The Blue Devil senior, who also plays on the school's baseball team, went undefeated in match play his junior and senior seasons and in the four years he competed on the West Memphis tennis team he lost a total of five singles matches.

CBU recruited Bennage hard early in the process, and he said that was the deciding factor in choosing the Bucs.

"I had some other schools that were interested in me, but CBU was involved hard early and I gave them a verbal commitment early," said Bennage. "Plus, the fact that I get to play and continue my education."

In the school's history there haven been just two tennis players to win state singles championships. The other is Heather Knight, who was inducted into the West Memphis Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

"It's kind of hard for me to talk about it, but it looks like I made history here," said Bennage. "It's pretty awesome to represent this great community and school."

Bennage, who will start at second base for the baseball Devils, said he will major in business and finance at CBU. He was surrounded by his tennis coaches, including Blue Devil coach Kevin Holt, his tennis and baseball teammates, his family and friends at the school.

"Carlson's going to do fine at CBU," said Holt. "He's got a good work ethic and he loves the game. I never once had to convince him to our early-morning practices in the summer. Carlson wanted to play and he put in the time and effort."

Bennage makes it two state titles in a row

By Billy Woods

WM School District

He was expected to win the big one again, and West Memphis' Carlson Bennage delivered.

Bennage became the second Blue Devil to win two straight tennis singles state championships on Tuesday when he defeated Jonesboro's Eric Richardson 6-3 and 6-3 in the Class 5A state tournament at Hot Springs Lakeside.

"It's incredible, honestly," said Bennage. "Who would have thought some young boy from West Memphis would be repeating for a state championship? I wanted to do it, not only for myself, but for my team, my school. Honestly, it's the best feeling."

Now it's on to the Overall state championship for Bennage, a senior. The Overall will be played at Burns Park in North Little Rock on Monday and Tuesday. Bennage is likely to receive a first-round bye.

Bennage joins 2017 West Memphis Sports Hall of Famer Heather Knight as the only Blue Devil to win back-to-back state tennis titles. Knight turned the trick in 1993-94.

Bennage earned a berth in the final on Tuesday with an easy 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lakeside's Ian Hollis.

He then fell behind Richardson in the first set of the title round, 3-1. Bennage didn't panic, though.

"There were a little nerves in the beginning," Bennage commented. "I wasn't necessarily going for every shot I had. But my serves started clicking and my shots started getting better, so I just started putting it on. I wasn't really that concerned when I fell behind. (Richardson) is a really good player, and he usually starts out firing. I didn't think he could keep it up all match."

Richardson was a very familiar foe for Bennage this season. Bennage defeated him four times without a loss.

"I went up 40-30 on match point and I gave (Richardson) a sitter," Bennage explained. "He misses it, and I turned around to look at my friends from West Memphis who came to watch me. I yelled, threw my racquet, threw the balls and went to shake (Richardson's) hand. Everything went loose in my body. I almost threw up I was so excited."

Historically speaking, Bennage becomes just the fourth sports entity in West Memphis history to repeat as a state champion.

The first was the 1980 and '81 Blue Devil boys basketball teams. The others were Knight's two titles and the other was the 2004 and '05 Blue Devil boys basketball teams.

Upon being informed of this status, Bennage was nearly speechless.

"That just gives me chills hearing that," Bennage said with a grin. "Just being in the same company as those type athletes is just crazy to me. It's awesome."

Bennage said he will approach the Overall state tournament the same way he has approached any other tennis competition. He's going to win.

But he said he would consider an Overall championship icing on the cake.

"The Overall is a big deal, and I would like to perform my best, but winning that (5A) state championship meant more to me than anything," said Bennage.

Bennage wins conference title again

By Billy Woods

WM School District

Senior Carlson Bennage won his second straight conference championship in boys singles tennis last week at Searcy High School.

Bennage, last year's Class 6A state champion, will go for his second straight state title this week in Hot Springs.

In short, Bennage overmatched the competition at conference once again, not losing a single set. He ousted Mountain Home's Jake McGehee 6-0 and 6-0 and then downed Jonesboro's Kyle Clayton 6-1 and 6-0 before defeating Jonesboro's Eric Richardson 6-1, 6-2 for the championship.

"I woke up on Day Two when I played for the championship, put my headphones on and got my mind right and I got in a zone," said Bennage. "When I get in my zone it's hard to beat me. It's probably the best tennis I've played in my life."

Bennage said he hopes to take that momentum into state competition this week.

"There's a lot of confidence going from here to state," Bennage added.

With Bennage's boys singles victory, the Blue Devils earned runners-up status as a team.

In other boys singles results from the conference tournament, West Memphis' Miller Kearney lost in the first round to Justin Kammerman of Searcy 6-0, 6-1.

The Blue Devil boys doubles team of Gavin Carlson and Wallace Crain qualified for the state tournament by defeating Paragould's Cook and Schreit 6-3 and 6-4 and then winning 4-6, 6-3 and 7-5 against Jones and Steelman of Mountain Home. They fell in the semifinals to the No. 1 seed team of Spainhouer and Cato of Jonesboro 6-1 and 6-4 before falling to Hurt and Barber of Jonesboro in the consolation match to determine third place.

Another doubles match saw Freddie Thorne and John Ryan Henson losing to Searcy's Jones and Watson 6-0 and 6-0.

In girls singles play, West Memphis' Hannah Boozer defeated Ashley Utley of Nettleton 6-0, 6-1 and then lost to Meagan Beck of Mountain Home 6-1 and 6-3.

The doubles team of Anna Nelson and Tayler Brossett lost to Kelly Pederson and Kora Wilson of Marion 6-1 and 6-1.

The doubles team of Piper Charlton and Gracey Benson lost to Yeakley and Smeltzer of Mountain Home 6-2 and 6-1.

Blue Devil netters busy on the court

The West Memphis High School tennis team is gearing up for postseason action in both the conference and state tournaments with some home matches against Wynne and Marion recently.

In boys singles in the match against Wynne at Meadowbrook Country Club, Miller Kearney defeated Landon Benefield 9-8, Gavin Carlson defeated Max Henson 8-2, Freddie Thorne lost to Dagun Like 8-2, Michael Burns downed Caleb Wells 8-2 and John Ryan Henson won 8-1 over London Parsons.

In boys doubles, Gavin Carlson and Wallace Crain defeated Parsons and Wells 8-3 and Carlson Bennage and Kearney defeated Benefield and Henson 8-3.

In girls singles against Wynne, Hannah Boozer trounced Jennifer Haines 8-1 and Tayler Brossett lost to Emily Roberts 8-6.

In girls doubles, Anna Nelson and Brossett defeated Wynne's Erica Faircloth and Zoe Colvin 8-3, Gracey Benson and Piper Charlton of West Memphis lost 9-7 to Faircloth and Colvin and Boozer and Nelson of West Memphis downed Haines and Roberts 8-5.

The West Memphians also host Marion last week at MCC.

In boys singles Bennage overpowered James Lowery 8-0 while Kearney defeated Zechariah Lowery 8-3 and then defeated James Lowery 8-4. Michael Burns lost to Carson McDonald 8-1 and Ryan Alam 8-3.

In boys doubles, CArlson and Crain defeated Marion's Parker Tyler and Reid Bunn 8-1 and then defeated Matthew Cash and Ricardo Ledezma 8-0.

The Blue Devil duo of Henson and Thorne lost to Cash and Ledezma 8-5 and also lost 8-5 to Tyler and Bunn.

Kearney and Carlson defeated Talbert and Whitaker 8-1 to give the West Memphis boys a 6-4 victory in matches.

In girls singles, Boozer lost to Morgan Whited 8-5, but she defeated Alexis Bass 8-3. Brossett lost to Bass 9-7, but defeated Kelly Pederson 8-1.

In girls doubles, Benson and Charlton lost 8-3 to Lauren Miller and Leah Henson and then lost to Brooke Beyer and Harris Hale 8-4.

Blue Devils' Bennage state tennis champ

By Billy Woods

WM School District

West Memphis junior Carlson Bennage wasn't about to let the moment get away from him.

As Bennage was about to take on foreign exchange student Orest Los of Siloam Springs for the Class 6A state boys singles championship, he thought about last year when he faced off against Los in the state's consolation round.

"I was really confident this time because my game has taken a strong step forward since last year," said Bennage. "I'd watched (Los) play in his semifinal match and I knew my game was going to be good enough to get it done."

Bennage swept Los 6-3 and 6-1 last Tuesday to win the state title. He is thought to be the first-ever West Memphian to win the boys singles state championship.

It was an overall great day for the Blue Devil boys. The doubles team of Kaiden Holt and Wallace Crain won third place to give West Memphis enough points to be declared state runners-up.

"This is very satisfying because I'm not sure the West Memphis boys have ever finished runners-up in the state tournament before," said Blue Devil coach Kevin Holt. "Our guys played great tennis for two days."

Bennage lost to Los last year in the match for third place in the state tournament. This time, Bennage said, he wasn't going to let it happen again.

"I just had to keep calm because (Los) starts off strong," said Bennage. "He got off to an early 2-0 lead on me in the first set. I had to stay focused and start moving him around a little bit. I kept moving him from corner to corner and that allowed me to play a lot more aggressive."

Turns out, Bennage wasn't even tested through the entire bracket. As the 6A-East Conference champion he was given a first-round bye. He then easily dispatched Searcy's Davis Threlkeld 6-0 and 6-2 before defeating David Woodring of Greenwood 6-3 and 6-4 in the semifinals.

As Bennage alluded to, his game went to another level from last season. He noted the tutelage of both his long-time personal coach Bob Spillman from the University Club in Memphis and Holt, who has put in long hours with the entire team in anticipation of his boys getting a shot at winning the team state title.

Another factor was Bennage's growth spurt, from 5-foot-6 a year ago to 5-10 this year.

"I was actually pretty confident coming into this year," said Bennage. "Both my coaches have done wonders for my game, so I gotta give it up to them. My shots have been more accurate and more powerful this year because I've grown a few inches."

Now Bennage advances to today's Overall state tournament. The top two finishers in each classification advance to the Overall. As of press time, Bennage's seeding was not yet known.

"No matter how I do (in the Overall), I'm just honored to be there," Bennage added.

Kaiden Holt and Crain put up a strong run for the doubles title. They outlasted Casey Hammons and Tanner Leonard of Searcy in the quarterfinals 4-6, 6-4 and 6-3. In the semifinals, the West Memphians lost to Evan Hurt and Jonathan Barber of Jonesboro 3-6, 6-3 and 6-4.

In the consolation bracket, Holt and Crain defeated Dillon Rea and Matthew Kelly of Searcy 8-4.

"I'm very proud of Kaiden and Wallace," said Coach Holt. "They both played great the week before at the conference tournament. The good thing about is these guys have gotten so much better every year. That speaks volumes about their progress."