MOCKSVILLE, N.C. — Half of the Richmond Senior High School girls’ tennis team secured a spot in the postseason Monday.
Traveling to Davie County High School, six Lady Raiders competed in the 7A pre-regional tournament. The event was held for the first time to help determine playoff qualifiers.
Three Lady Raiders — senior Jentry Denson, junior Colbie Covington and sophomore Erin Drumwright — punched their tickets for regionals later this fall.
Denson and Covington qualified as a doubles team, while Drumwright made it as a representative for Richmond in the singles tournament.
“This was a new experience for the whole team,” head coach Jessica Covington said. “Having the pre-regional tournament gave our girls a chance to play some really good opponents and secure a spot for regionals before our regular season is over.
“I’m so proud of all the girls,” she added. “We are a really young team and I thought all six girls played hard today. I’m excited for Jentry, Colbie and Erin to get to play in the postseason. They definitely deserve it and played some really good tennis today.”
Competing in one of seven doubles matches held at the pre-regional event, Colbie Covington and Denson faced a duo from Purnell Swett High School.
In their match against Blakely Graham and Sarah Hunt, Richmond’s No. 1 doubles team wasted little time in securing the victory. Colbie Covington and Denson won in straight sets 6-4, 6-0.
Also in a field of seven singles matches, Drumwright dug deep to erase an early deficit against Blair Brooks (Purnell Swett). Dropping the first set 4-6, Drumwright rallied to take the next two sets by scores of 6-1 and 6-4 to win.
Richmond had three other players in action Monday — junior Angelina Culbreth, sophomore Sydney Barnes and freshman Molly Covington.
Culbreth lost in two sets in her singles match with Sydney Davis (A.L. Brown High School) by scores of 1-6 and 5-7.
Playing as a doubles team, Molly Covington and Barnes came up short in two sets to Emila Garcia and Camilia Garcia (Hickory Ridge High School). The final score was 0-6, 1-6.
Richmond (5-6, 4-4 Mid-South Conference) will continue its regular season Tuesday with an away match at Pinecrest High School. Singles matches will start at 4 p.m.
