DALTON, Ga. – With a sweep in doubles in the Region 7-AAA finals Thursday, Dalton needed only a win in one of its three singles matches to earn its first boys’ region tennis title since 2005.
It was a win the Catamounts just weren’t able to attain. Cartersville won 3-2 at Lakeshore Park.
The Heritage boys claimed third place with a 3-0 victory over Allatoona. All four teams advance to the state playoffs, but Dalton and Cartersville will host playoff matches next week, while Heritage and Allatoona will travel.
LaFayette’s girls took their third consecutive third-place finish by beating Dalton 3-0. Allatoona won the region title with a 3-2 victory over Cartersville.
Dalton got boys’ wins from Thomas Delay/B.J. Rowland and P.K. Bhatter/Mitchell Wilson, but Cartersville’s Trevor Gotkowski, Mitchell Scott and Brock Hustetler each won in straight sets, with Hustetler’s 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Nathan Bryant clinching the title.