Published: June 05, 2009 09:58 pm      

Martin and Womack take Player of the Year awards

Nathan Martin’s terrific high school tennis career has drawn to a close. Kennedy Womack is just getting warmed up.

The senior and eighth-grader received Player of the Year honors on the 2009 All-Area Tennis Team.

Lawrence County’s Martin advanced to the state singles quarterfinals in his final high school season. The Morehead State University signee won three matches as the No. 8 seed in Lexington. Along with All-State honors, he received a tournament sportsmanship award.

Martin joined the Lawrence County tennis team as a third-grader and went on to win more than 150 matches, including five regional championships. He led the Bulldogs to a regional team title this season.

Meanwhile, Womack’s first season at Rose Hill Christian School turned heads around the state. She won the 16th Region singles championship in convincing fashion and went all the way to the state semifinals on the University of Kentucky courts.

Womack, seeded fifth, rolled through four matches before losing to eventual runner-up Samantha Maddox of Lexington Catholic. Womack became the first area player to reach the semifinals in girls singles since Russell’s Julie Ditty won her last high school crown in 1997.

Womack and Russell senior Claire Spradlin earned All-State honors this spring. Spradlin, seeded sixth in singles, advanced to the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. She helped lead Russell’s girls to a ninth consecutive regional team title.

Ashland’s boys also captured their ninth in a row, paced by singles champion Stephen Metcalf and doubles winners Jeff Nelson and Greg Geremia in a repeat of their 2008 victories. Nelson, a senior, finished his high school career with three consecutive doubles championships.

All-Area Tennis Team

BOYS

Chase Bates (Russell), Robby Berry (Boyd County), Korey Brammell (East Carter), David Bush (Rose Hill), Alex Christie (Russell), Austin Christie (Russell), Patrick Duggan (Ashland), Jared Fyffe-Caudill (Johnson Central), Greg Geremia (Ashland), Zach Hughes (Paintsville), Jon Lacy (Rowan County), Cody Marcum (Johnson Central), Nathan Martin (Lawrence County), Stephen Metcalf (Ashland), Miles Mussetter (Russell), Jeff Nelson (Ashland), Taylor Nguyen (Russell), Mark Patil (Ashland), Paul Spradlin (Russell).

PLAYER OF YEAR: Nathan Martin (Lawrence County).

Honorable Mention

Benji Blair (East Carter), Ryan Kennedy (East Carter), Ryan Lacy (Rowan County), Seth Mynhier (Rowan County), Drew Royalty (Ashland), Jonathan Seagraves (East Carter), Chase Waddell (Raceland), Evan White (Russell).



GIRLS

Alex Billups (Rose Hill), Rachel Bush (Rose Hill), Mica Davis (Rowan County), Courtney Fyffe (Lawrence County), Emily Griffith (Ashland), Rachel Hardin (Lawrence County), Kelsey Hensley (Russell), Kierstin Hensley (Russell), Kelsey Hughes (Paintsville), Emily Krick (Ashland), Alex Lanning (Greenup County), Lauren Phelps (Boyd County), Mallory Powell (Russell), Claire Spradlin (Russell), Leslie Stringer (Rose Hill), Hannah Templeton (Rowan County), Andrea Wise (Russell), Kennedy Womack (Rose Hill).

PLAYER OF YEAR: Kennedy Womack (Rose Hill).

Honorable Mention

Emily Craft (Ashland), Shae Criswell (East Carter), Lucy Davis (Ashland), Morgan Hayes (East Carter), Kyra Keeton (Raceland), Micah Leslie (Greenup County), Taylor McCreary (Lawrence County), Alex Muncy (Russell), Victoria Northcutt (Rowan County), Jennifer Phillips (Raceland), O’Brien Robbins (Raceland), Olivia Thomas (East Carter), Sarah Shaw (Greenup County).