Michelle McKamey of Paducah, Ky., plays this morning for her fourth consecutive A Division singles title in the annual Rotary Tennis Tournament. She's already the only girl with three.
More amazingly, this is her ninth appearance. She began playing for her high school in the prestigious tournament as a fourth-grader.
Back then it was Lone Oak High, which later consolidated with two other schools to form McCracken. McCracken won the 2015 Rotary girls' championship and finished third last year.
"This is our spring break. For nine years my spring break has been in Chattanooga at this tournament," McKamey said Friday. "I always love to come here. It's always great competition. I've had close matches even though I've won it the last three years. And they do a very good job of running it. It's a super tournament to come to."
The Indiana signee also comes to town every September for the Southern Cup competition, and she's played in other top-level tournaments in Chattanooga as well.
"It's a great city for tennis," McKamey said, citing the court complexes at Champions Club, Baylor, Girls Preparatory School and McCallie.
McCracken got stormed out of a pre-Rotary team match Wednesday against GPS, and McKamey was the Mustangs' only winner Thursday against Baylor. She won 8-3 in a pro set against Drew Hawkins, her opponent at 8:30 this morning in the Rotary A-1 final.
Friday, top-seeded McKamey won 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 over GPS's Maddox Bandy and 6-2, 7-5 over Knoxville Webb's Lauren Yoon. Third seed Hawkins beat Erin Allen of Knoxville Catholic 7-5, 6-4 and Catherine Owen of Hutchison 6-1, 6-2.
McKamey and freshman Sophia Shiben lost 8-3 in doubles to Catholic's sister act of Erin and Sara Allen late Friday afternoon, and the young Mustangs are out of the running for the team title today, so McKamey can focus on ending her long Rotary career against the talanted Hawkins.
Kentucky's state tournament encompasses all schools - it isn't divided by classifications - and McKamey won it as a freshman and finished second as a junior last year. She's been an all-state tennis player since sixth grade and has won eight Kentucky singles titles and six doubles titles in the USTA Kentucky state qualifier tournaments.
She won the Rotary A-1 girls' doubles championship in 2015 with Taylor Sprouse, who now plays for Sewanee.
With an ACT score of 33 and a grade point average above 4.0 as well as her court achievements, McKamey was widely recruited. She picked Indiana over Davidson, North Carolina, Kentucky and Louisville and "also looked a little bit" at Tennessee, she said.
The Baylor girls lead the A Division being played at Baylor with 13 points, followed by Webb with 11.5 and Mountain Brook (Ala.) with 8. St. Xavier (Ky.) is the boys' A leader with 14, while Mountain Brook is second with 10.5, Montgomery Bell Academy third with 10 and Baylor fourth out of eight teams with 9.
In the boys' B Division at McCallie, Huntsville is first with 14 points, Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.) and Christian Academy of Knoxville share second place with 11 and Signal Mountain is fourth with nine. Spain Park is the girls' B leader with 15.5, trailed by St. Mary's with 13.5 and Chattanooga Christian with 12.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.
ROTARY TOURNAMENT, Friday results
Girls' A Division standings (at Baylor): Baylor 13, Knoxville Webb 11.5, Mountain Brook 8, Knoxville Catholic 5.5, Hutchison 5, McCracken 5, GPS 4.5, Harpeth Hall 1.5.Girls' B Division standings (at GPS): Spain Park 15.5, St. Mary's 13.5, Chattanooga Christian 12, Univ. School Nashville 7.5, Huntsville 6.5, Randolph 4.5, Univ. School Jackson 2, Notre Dame 1.5.Boys' A Division standings (at Baylor): St. Xavier 14, Mountain Brook 10.5, Montgomery Bell Academy 10, Baylor 9, Univ. School Jackson 3.5, McCallie 3, Knoxville Webb 3, Univ. School Nashville 1.Boys' B Division standings (at McCallie): Huntsville 14, Christian Acad. of Knoxville 11, Spain Park 11, Signal Mountain 9, Notre Dame 6.5, Knoxville Catholic 5.5, Randolph 4.5, McCracken 1.5.GIRLS' A RESULTS A-1 singles: Michelle McKamey (McCracken) def. Maddox Bandy (GPS), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Lauren Yoon (Webb) def. Abby Keeble (Harpeth), 6-1, 6-0; Drew Hawkins (Baylor) def. Erin Allen (Catholic), 7-5, 6-4; Catherine Owen (Hutchison) def. Madison Jenkins (Mtn. Brook), 6-0, 6-2; McKamey def. Yoon, 6-2, 7-5; Hawkins def. Owen, 6-1, 6-2. Consolation: Bandy def. Keeble, 6-2, 6-1; Allen def. Jenkins, 6-4, 6-0. A-2 singles: Presley Thomas (Baylor) def. Madeline Cummings (Harpeth), 6-2, 6-2; Grace Anne Dunavant (Hutchison) def. Kaedra Thorstenson (GPS), 6-1, 6-0; Sarah Cooper (Mtn. Brook) def. Sara Myers (Catholic), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2; Caroline Ross (Webb) def. Sophia Shiben (McCracken), 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Thomas def. Dunavant, 6-4, 6-4; Ross def. Cooper, 6-3, 6-0. Consolation: Cummings def. Thorstenson, 6-2, 6-2; Shiben def. Myers, 6-1, 6-2. A-3 singles: Carina Dagott (Webb) def. Megan Richman (Hutchison), 6-1, 6-1; Corinne Spann (GPS) def. Shelby Puryear, 6-4, 6-2; Ellie Polk (Mtn. Brook) def. Julia Newman (Catholic), 6-4, 6-1; Ashton Jenne (Baylor) def. Kathryn Risner (Harpeth), 6-2, 6-4; Dagotto def. Spann, 6-3, 6-4; Polk def. Jenne, 6-4, 6-2. Consolation: Puryear def. Richman, 6-2, 6-3; Risner def. Newman, 5-7, 6-3 (10-8). A-4 singles: Lauren Carelli (Baylor) def. Helen Griffith (Harpeth), 6-0, 6-1; Anne Grinder (Hutchison) def. Ellie Edwards (GPS), 6-3, 7-6 (4); Danni Poat (McCracken) def. Cele Sullivan (Mtn. Brook), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Anna Wisniewski (Webb) def. Sara Allen (Catholic), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Carelli def. Grinder, 6-4, 6-2; Wisniewski def. Poat, 6-0, 6-0. Consolation: Edwards def. Griffith, 7-5, 7-6 (4); Allen def. Sullivan, 6-1, 3-6 (10-6). A-5 singles: Audrey Yoon (Webb) def. Emily Dew (McCracken), 6-0, 6-0; Landie McBrayer (Baylor) def. Sophie Keeble (Harpeth), 6-0, 6-3; Keileen Cullen (Catholic) def. Maggie Eslinger (GPS), 6-3, 6-4; Liz Vandevelde (Mtn. Brook) def. Carter Patikas (Hutchison), 6-1, 6-0; Yoon def. McBrayer, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1; Vandevelde def. Cullen, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. Consolation: Keeble def. Dew, 6-1, 6-1; Eslinger def. Patikas, 7-5, 6-1. A-6 singles: Anna Hawkins (Baylor) def. Ansley Turley (Catholic), 6-0, 6-2; Isabella McKinney (McCracken) def. Hannah Freeman (Hutchison), 6-1, 6-4; Morgan Jenkins (Mtn. Brook) def. Catherine Smith (Harpeth), 7-6 (4), 6-0; Barbie Edwards (GPS) def. Anna Stout (Webb), 6-0, 6-2; Hawkins def. McKinney, 6-1, 6-0; Jenkins def. Edwards, 6-2, 6-3. Consolation: Turley def. Freeman, 4-6, 6-3 (10-8); Stout def. Smith (7-5, 6-4). A-1 doubles: Erin Allen/Sara Allen (Catholic) def. Michelle McKamey/Sophia Shiben (McCracken), 8-3; Ashton Jenne/Presley Thomas (Baylor) def. Maddox Bandy/Corinne Spann, 9-8 (7-3); Carina Dagotto/Caroline Ross (Webb) def. Abby Keeble/Madeline Cummings (Harpeth), 8-0; Catherine Owen/Grace Anne Dunavant (Hutchison) def. Charlotte Gillum/Ellie Polk (Mtn. Brook), 8-2. A-2 doubles: Lauren Yoon/Anna Wisniewski (Webb) def. Ellie Edwards/Maggie Eslinger (GPS), 8-2; Megan Richman/Anne Grinder (Hutchison) def. Sarah Cooper/Cele Sullivan (Mtn. Brook), 8-6; Sara Myers/Keileen Cullen (Catholic) def. Sophie Keeble/Kathryn Risner (Harpeth), 8-2; Lauren Carelli/Lilly Mooney (Baylor) def. Shelby Puryear/Danni Poat (McCracken), 8-3. A-3 doubles: Drew Hawkins/Landie McBrayer (Baylor) def. Erin Byassee/Allie Farmer (McCracken), 8-0; Liz Vandevelde/Maggie Duggan (Mtn. Brook) def. Helen Griffith/Catherine Smith (Harpeth), 8-1; Julia Newman/Neeley Wilson (Catholic) def. Gracie Stallings/Carter Patikas (Hutchison), 8-2; Kate Thel/Barbie Edwards (GPS) def. Audrey Yoon/Kat Epps (Webb), 8-5.BOYS' A RESULTS A-1 singles: Drew Singerman (St. X) def. George Corzine (USN), 6-2, 6-2; Brandon Kali (Baylor) def. Ohm Sharma (Webb), 6-0, 6-3; Cade Reasons (USJ) def. Peter Hartman (Mtn. Brook), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; George Harwell (MBA) def. Charlie Thel (McCallie), 6-0, 6-2; Singerman def. Kali, 6-2, 6-0; Harwell def. Reasons, 6-0, 6-0. Consolation: Sharma def. Corzine, 2-2, retired; Hartman def. Thel, 7-5, 6-2. A-2 singles: Alex Westbrooks (St. X) def. Ryan Crump (McCallie), 7-5, 6-1; Matthew Bulow (MBA) def. Ethan Palisoc (Baylor), 6-1, 6-1; Harrison Williams (Webb) def. Lebo Hunter (USN), 6-1, 6-2; David Faulkner (Mtn. Brook) def. Mason Woods (USJ), 6-4, 6-3; Westbrooks def. Bulow, 6-3, 6-0; Faulkner def. Williams, 7-6, 1-6, 6-4. Consolation: Crump def. Palisoc, 6-1, 6-0; Woods def. Hunter, 6-2, 6-2. A-3 singles: Spencer Blandford (St. X) def. Andy Houston (USJ), 6-0, 6-0; Paul Jones (Mtn. Brook) def. Jackson Schnelle, 6-2, 7-5; Hugh Graham (MBA) def. Zan Meyer (McCallie), 5-7, 6-0, 6-1; Alec Kadrie (Baylor) def. Ben Pearce (Webb), 6-1, 6-1; Blandford def. Jones, 6-2, 6-3; Kadrie def. Graham, 6-3, 6-2. Consolation: Schnelle def. Houston, 6-2, 6-1; Meyer def. Pearce, 6-3, 6-4. A-4 singles: Preston Cameron (St. X) def. Ben Aikens (Webb), 6-2, 6-2; Benjamin Taverne (Baylor) def. Bruce Renner, 6-3, 6-0; Chase Robinett (Mtn. Brook) def. Clayton Jelsma (USN), 6-3, 6-2; John Morphett (MBA) def. Andre Gregory (USJ), 7-5, 6-2; Cameron def. Taverne, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Robinett def. Morphett, 6-2, 6-4. Consolation: Renner def. Aikens, 6-2, 7-5; Gregory def. Jelsma, 0-6, 7-6 (10-4). A-5 singles: Will Stuckert (St. X) def. Arjun Dasari (USN), 6-1, 7-6 (4); Ryan Toomey (Baylor) def. Garrett Evans (USJ), 6-0, 6-1; Richard Cummins (MBA) def. Tony Romano (Webb), 6-0, 6-4; Alva Caine (Mtn. Brook) def. Andrew Shinnick (McCallie), 6-3, 6-0; Stuckert def. Toomey, 6-3, 6-2; Caine def. Cummins, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Consolation: Evans def. Dasari, 3-6, 6-4 (10-8); Shinnick def. Romano, 6-1, 7-6 (5). A-6 singles: Bo Bush (St. X) def. Stefan Steiger (Webb), 6-0, 6-1; John Spurgeon (MBA) def. Miguel Sioson (USJ), 6-1, 6-0; William Watts (Mtn. Brook) def. Faraz Ghamgosar (McCallie), 6-2, 6-2; Edward O'Neal (Baylor) def. London Eckhard (USN), 6-0, 6-2; Spurgeon def. Bush, 6-2, 6-1; O'Neal def. Watts, 7-6, 5-2. Consolation: Steiger def. Sioson, 6-0, 6-3; Eckhard def. Ghamgosar, 6-3, 1-6 (12-10). A-1 doubles: Drew Singerman/Alex Westrooks (St. X) def. George Corzine/Jackson Schnelle (USN), 8-2; Cade Reasons/Mason Woods (USJ) def. George Harwell/John Spurgeon, 8-5; Ohm Sharma/Ben Pearce (Webb) def. Brandon Kali/Ryan Toomey (Baylor), 8-6; Charlie Thel/Zan Meyer (McCallie) def. Peter Hartman/David Faulkner (Mtn. Brook), 9-8, 8-6. A-2 doubles: Edward O'Neal/Alec Kadrie (Baylor) def. Harrison Williams/Ben Aikens (Webb), 8-2; Paul Jones/Chase Robinett (Mtn. Brook) def. Lebo Hunter/Clayton Jelsma (USN), 8-5; Hugh Graham/John Morphett (MBA) def. Ryan Crump/Bruce Renner (McCallie), 8-3; Preston Cameron/Spencer Blandford (St. X) def. Andre Gregory/Garett Evans (USJ), 8-1. A-3 doubles: Will Stuckert/Adam Hardin (St. X) def. Arjun Dasari/London Eckhard (USN), 8-3; Benjamin Tavene/Ethan Palisoc (Baylor) def. Andy Houston/Miguel Sioson (USJ), 8-1; Richard Cummins/Matthew Bulow (MBA) def. Tony Romano/Stefan Steiger (Webb), 8-2; Andrew Karcher/William Watts (Mtn. Brook) def. Andrew Shinnick/Faraz Ghamgosar (McCallie), 9-7.