Our Meridian High tennis team had two entries in the Mississippi State tennis tourney in Jackson.
Phillip George, the Mississippi number one ranked boy's singles player played a rematch against a McComb player he had just defeated 6-2, 6-2 the week before in the Southstate finals. And lost.
We really don't know what happened in that match. Between south state and state, Holmes probably analyzed every possible weakness that Phillip had and planned a successful strategy to wear him down if and when they met again. It was an incredible battle. Both Phillip and Billy Holmes had already played tough matches that day against north division winners. The score was 8-6 and 6-4 for the two long sets. Neither player gave up. In the end I think it was just the "Jackson curse" which effectuates any time a Meridian team plays on Jackson turf.
The girls' doubles advancement in the state tournament was definitely not without its drama. I got the measles and could not play in district, then had a wreck the night before state. Jackson sports writers were livid that I had even played in south state because Lynne and I beat their doubles team from Provine. We met that same team later on in the very final match at state and beat them again for the championship.
That last match was a hard one and even though we were expected to win, one of our opponents was simply hugely tall and had a serve that could be. . . well, hard to return and hard to dodge at net. The championship score was 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.
Coty Huggins was a fourth player from our class who played on the varsity, but she and Richard Martin did not advance beyond first round in mixed doubles in south state. They lost to a strong Jackson Provine mixed doubles team who went on to win state for Provine
In Celebration of MHS Class of 1958
Sunday, May 23, 2010
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