Senior tennis star qualifies for state

Mountain Home senior Carolyn Bailey has qualified for the state tennis competition.

Mountain Home had 18 players compete at the District III 4A tennis tournament in Nampa over the weekend.

The district tennis competition consists of tournaments in girls' and boys' singles, girls' and boys' doubles and mixed doubles, with the top five finishers in each category qualifying for state. Bailey qualified for state in girls' singles, finishing fifth.

"It was a long 2 1/2 days with a lot of tennis matches and tough competition," said Tiger tennis coach Tamzy House. "Our players gave it their all. It was a roller coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs in all the matches, but in the end, Tiger tennis held its own and came away with several individual wins.

"Carolyn took fifth place after battling through eight individual matches," said Coach House. "Carolyn was not seeded. She won her first-round match, then fell to the second seed in the second round. She then won four matches in the consolation draw, ultimately beating the fourth seed. At that point, she made the top six and entered the qualifying placement matches where she lost to the third seed, but came back in her last match to take fifth place by beating Emmett's first, 6-4, 6-1.

"I was so proud of Carolyn. She was tournament tough, both physically and mentally. She is the first female singles tennis player (from Mountain Home) to make state since 2003."

Mountain Home's first mixed doubles team of Jared Mott and Brittany Ryan took sixth place and is the mixed doubles alternate for state.

Mountain Home's first girls' and boys' doubles teams, Tessa Pachner and Emma Wenger and Jalen Gibbons and Blake Pachner, each took seventh place in their competition.

The State 4A Tennis Tournament will be this Friday and Saturday in Boise.