JDMS girls win conference tennis title

Members of the conference champion Jeff Davis Middle School tennis team are, from left, front row, Danya Ballenger, Kyla McEachin, Jolie Kersey, Carleigh Brewer, Lola Fisher, Zoey Taylor, Jaydah Diaz and Coach Katie Kersey. Back row, Bailey Walker, Molly Miller, Hadley Wigley, Ashton Cravey, Shanna Faulk, Mikah Ricketson, YaKira Coleman, Aubree Wooten, Tera Green, Alivia Powell and Mallorie Taylor.

Jeff Davis Middle School tennis had an exciting ending to their season. On March 11, JDMS tennis traveled to West Laurens to take on the Raiders.
The boys lost 0-5, but played closely every point. WLMS girls were the 2025 conference champions. This season, JD girls were seeking revenge and walked away with a 4-1 win. This was certainly a much needed win to help finish out the conference strong.
On March 19, the tennis team hosted old rivals Bleckley County. Each boy played with grit and gave it everything they had. Unfortunately, they were not able to pull out a win and had a loss of 0-5, making them the #3 seed headed into the playoffs. The girls battled hard against Bleckley and pulled out a 4-1 win, landing them the #1 seed going into the playoffs.
Last Monday, the boys traveled to Bleckley for the playoffs. The boys battled, but fell short and ended their season.
Coach Cam Lewis recognized his players this season. “Chase Hulett played our #1 position. He was a tough competitor for those he faced. Joshua Colston, our #2 singles, and Kelby Feller, #3 singles, were walk-on players. They worked hard and showed a lot of growth this season. First doubles were Matthew Weiner and Za’Rion Howell. These boys were great to watch throughout the season. They had great teamwork. Our #2 doubles were played by Jay Wilkinson and Pierce Taylor with Vadyn Walker substituting several matches. These boys played hard and were always fun to watch! Yeah, I had a fairly new and young team, but that didn’t make them any less determined. #3 seed certainly wasn’t in my mind with all of these new players, but with hard work and perseverance, they were able to fill a spot in the playoffs. That’s definitely an accomplishment,” says Coach Cam.
Last Tuesday, the girls hosted Swainsboro. They pulled a quick and successful win within 30 minutes. This guaranteed them a spot in the championship game.
On Thursday, the girls hosted their final match in the Middle Georgia Conference against West Laurens and defeated the Raiders 3-2.
“This team has certainly worked harder than most middle schoolers,” says Coach Katie Kersey. “Most are 8th graders and have been chasing their dreams of being first place in the conference. #1 singles player Danya Ballenger stood tough in each match she played. #2 singles, Kyla McEachin was continuously a backboard for every player she played and went undefeated in the conference. #3 player Jolie Kersey had some of the biggest comebacks of the season and stayed fierce in every match. First doubles, Jaydah Diaz and Carleigh Brewer went undefeated whole season.
“Those girls had a bond that not many doubles partners have,” says Coach Katie. Second doubles had a few injuries throughout the season, but whether it was Zoey Taylor and Lola Fisher or Lola and Molly Miller, the girls never wavered and kept the competition strong. The girls dug deep for every match. Their phrase for the season was “control the controllables” and they did just that making them the 2026 MGMSAA Champions. Congratulations to both the boys and girls on a great season!