By By Lori Dann
Advance Managing Editor
The Escambia County High School tennis teams opened their seasons last Thursday with a split at W.S. Neal.
The Lady Blue Devils cruised to a 6-0 win while the ECHS boys fell 5-2.
In the girls' match, only one of the matches was close, with Abby Helton and Rebecca Stuart edging Jessica Lambeth and Tava Davis 11-10 in No. 1 doubles. W.S. Neal managed to win just seven games in the remaining five matches combined.
Girls singles scores were:
* No. 1 Anna Beech def. Jessica Lambeth 10-0;
* No. 2 Brandy Rigsby def. Tava Davis, 10-1;
* No. 3 Karla Martin def. Brooke Chisum;
* No. 4 Sarah Stephens def. Heather Shipp 10-2.
No. 5 Abby Helton, No. 6 Rebecca Stuart and alternate Mary Catherine Faircloth did not compete in singles action. In the only other doubles match, Martin and Stephens defeated Chisum and Shipp 10-3.
Jared Carlton and Calem Talmage posted the only wins for the ECHS boys in their match. Their singles results were:
* No. 1 Jared Carlton won 11-10;
* No. 2 Chris Woods lost 6-10;
* No. 3 Randy August lost 5-10;
* No. 4 Kevin Bryant lost 5-10;
* No. 5 Calem Talmage won 10-7
No. 6 Miles Cunningham and alternate Eric Roberts did not play singles.
In doubles action, the No. 1 team of Carlton and Woods lost 2-10 and the No. 2 team of August and Bryant lost 10-11.