The Brookhaven High School tennis team came one match away from winning the South State title Thursday evening, but fell just short of their goal, winning a hard-fought match to Stone County 4-3.

The Ole Brook tennis team ends their 2017 season with an 8-4 overall record, a district championship and as the South State runner up.

The Panthers started off the South State match on a hot start by winning both singles matches.

In the boys’ singles match, Daniel Panzica of Brookhaven defeated He Feng Ou of Stone County in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

The strong momentum carried into the girls’ singles match, where Sarah Grace Evans took down Lainey Cunningham of Stone County in straight sets 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles play is when the momentum of the Match started to swing in favor of Stone County.

In the first boys’ doubles match, Trey Wegner and Will Ladner of Stone County defeated Will Moak and Dalton Fortado of Brookhaven in straight sets 6-4, 7-6. In the second boys’ doubles match, Orren Ladner and Kyle Bond of Stone County defeated Braxton Wallis and Michael Haynes Hutson of Brookhaven in straight sets 6-4, 6-0.

In the first girls’ doubles match, Anna Stringer and Kaylen Bond of Stone County defeated Maggie Massengill and Abbigail Jones of Brookhaven 5-7, 6-3, 1-0. In the second girls’ doubles match, Alice Anne Walker and Lea Allen of Ole Brook defeated Koda Shaw and Noelle King of Stone County 6-4, 6-3.

The South State title came down to the final mixed doubles match, where Nick Alexander and Emily Luke of Stone County defeated Cooper Patterson and Mackenzie Johnson of Brookhaven in straight sets 6-4, 7-6.

The loss ended the season for the Panthers and gave Stone County the South State title.

All of the Brookhaven tennis players will compete in the MHSAA state individual tennis tournament in Oxford May 8-10 with the exception of Sarah Grace Evans, who was injured for the district individual tournament. Maddalynn Boyte qualified at the district tournament and will compete in the girl’s singles in the state tournament.