JACKSON – Winona graduate Rachel VanHorn won her singles and doubles matches, helping the North to a 5-2 victory over the South at the Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star Tennis match last week at Parham Bridges Tennis Center.
The match employed the collegiate format, with six singles and three doubles matches, each a pro set to eight games. Each team was comprised of six of the state's top graduating seniors who played singles and doubles. The format for the MHSAA allows players to compete in singles or doubles, but not both.
In doubles, VanHorn teamed with Breana Norton of Clinton to defeat Kelly Atkinson of Forest and Kayla Baucum of Newton County 8-6. In singles, she defeated Kailee Brown of Newton County 8-0.
VanHorn was pleased with how she played. “I hadn't played competitively in a while.”
During her career at Winona, she played singles exclusively, winning the state individual championship as a sophomore and junior and finishing as runner-up this year.
“You have to depend on the other person,” she said of doubles. “But there's less running.”
VanHorn has signed to play tennis at Meridian Community College where she will be expected to play singles and doubles.
