The GPS tennis standout picked Wofford from a group of Southern Conference schools.
Staff Reports
Two months after she signed to continue her tennis career at Wofford College, Sarah Evans was still very happy with the choice as GPS honored her decision this week.
Wofford, where Signal Mountain native Katie Hangstefer is the coach, was one of four Southern Conference schools Evans considered. Wanting to get a little distance from home, she also took hard looks at Furman and the College of Charleston before deciding between Appalachian State and the small-enrollment school in Spartanburg, S.C.
“I really wasn’t looking to sign early. It kind of just happened,” said Evans, the 2009 TSSAA Division II-AA state runner-up and a major contributor to three GPS state championships since her eighth-grade season.
“I like that Wofford is small, but even more it’s a good school with good academics and a team that is willing to work hard to improve. I wanted a school that would challenge me, and I watched the tennis team practice and met the girls, and I really liked them. And I knew Katie and have known her family for a long time, and they’re great.”
The 2009 local player of the year said she was convinced Hangstefer is building a contending program. Among the Terriers’ current four freshmen is longtime rival Guinn Garcia from Knoxville Webb.
Evans has been ranked No. 1 in her age group in Tennessee since 2007, and she won the last two State Junior Closed 18s titles after taking the 16s championships in 2006 and ’07. A hard hitter despite a slight build on a 5-foot-2 frame, she excels at baseline play but is working on being more aggressive and varied in her style.
“She’s small but she has a huge heart, and she has awesome feet,” GPS coach Sue Bartlett said. “She’s twice as quick as most people. And she will get stronger with more weight training. She’s going to be a great asset for Wofford’s program. I think she’ll probably play in the upper part of their lineup.”
Evans thanked Bartlett and her husband, Bill Bartlett, her sixth- and seventh-grade coach, along with her parents, Palmer and Karen, for “always being there” for her. She praised local pros Kevin Donovan and Philip Johnson for their early instruction and Wes Cash for his work with her in recent years.
Perry to Louisville
Chattooga High School’s Senorise Perry has committed to become a part of Charlie Strong’s first football recruiting class at Louisville. The 6-foot, 190-pound Perry was a two-way star for the 9-2 Indians this past season, rushing for 1,000 yards and intercepting three passes.
Strong and assistant coach Kenny Carter were recruiting Perry when they were at Florida. Carter invited Perry to a visit at Louisville last weekend, and the three-year starter committed on the spot.
“I liked the school right away, but what I was really looking for was the academics,” Perry said. “The team had a rough year last year, but this is a new start and I want to be a part of it.”
Three Red Raiders shine
Baylor won one of five dual meets at the Clash 8 — billed as the National High School Duals — last weekend in Rochester, Minn. The Red Raiders lost to Grand Island (Neb.), Scott West (Minn.), Kaukauna (Wis.) and Punahou (Hawaii) but defeated La Quinta (Calif.) 48-30.
Baylor’s Alex Manley (125), Cole Hayes (135) and Stuart Doster (140) won all their matches. Zach Watson (119) remains out of the lineup with a broken ankle, and Trey Stavrum (145) is through for the year with a broken leg.
GHSA back to old cycle
A year after voting to go to four-year reclassiciation cycles, the Georgia High School Association elected this week to go back to the old two-year cycles. The major reason was the rapid growth in some areas of the state; officials feared a school could quickly outgrow its classification during a four-year cycle.
“It’s the best way to do it,” Northwest Whitfield athletic director Mike Falleur said. “With the way the area around Atlanta is growing, it’s impossible to predict a school’s size over a four-year period.”
The GHSA also ratified the next reclassification, which begins with the 2010-11 school year.
Soddy-Daisy sweeps
Soddy-Daisy defeated Sequatchie County in both finals Thursday in the District 6 bowling tournament at Holiday Bowl Hixson. Those teams go on Wednesday to the region tournament at AMF Tri State Lanes, where the champion Trojans will face Bradley Central’s boys and the Indians will face District 5 champion Central.
Walker Valley was the District 5 girls’ champion with McMinn County as runner-up.