2016 Palmetto Championships

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60th Palmetto Championships Sets New Records

 

The Palmetto Championships, presented by Chick-fil-A of Anderson, was played in Belton and Anderson for the 60th straight year May 27-31.  The Palmetto is the national qualifying tournament for junior players in South Carolina.  This year’s event attracted a record 443 entries, including most of the top players in the state.  Almost 1,000 matches were played over 5 days on 48 courts in Belton and Anderson, and new tournament record.  The tournament finished on schedule in spite of losing a day to rain.

Titles were decided for boys and girls in singles and doubles in 5 age divisions.  The results of the championship singles matches were:

  • 10U Boys-Gibson Goodroe (Myrtle Beach) def. Trevor Novotny (Pawley’s Island) 5-4, 4-1
  • 12U Boys-Ian Rasheed (Mt. Pleasant) def. Nikhil Kulkami (Simpsonville) 6-2, 6-1
  • 14U Boys-Ashe Ray (Spartanburg) def. Christopher Johns (Simpsonville) 6-2,6-1
  • 16U Boys-Huntley Allen (Mt. Pleasant) def. Chad Nash (Daniel Island) 7-5, 6-4
  • 18U Boys-Spencer Brown (Spartanburg) def. Omar Williams (Spartanburg) 7-6 (5), 0-6, 6-3
  • 10U Girls-Breeze Simon (Charleston) def. Bella Payne (Taylors) 4-1, 2-4, 1-0
  • 12U Girls-Mattie Grace Dermody (Mt. Pleasant) def. Saige Severance (Daniel Island) 6-4, 6-3
  • 14U Girls-Sayda Hernandez (Hilton Head) def. Robin Alston (Rock Hill) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
  • 16U Girls-Anna Letto (Hilton Head) def. Katherine Lyman (Mt. Pleasant) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
  • 18U Girls-Lauren Joch (Irmo) def. Elise Mills (Prosperity) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3

Raye, Brown and Joch are all repeat singles winners.  Brown won his 7th singles title, and first since 2013.  He captured 6 straight titles in the 10U, 12U & 14U between 2008 and 2013.  Raye won his 2nd singles title (after winning the 12U in 2014) and Joch won her 3rd straight singles title (after winning the 16U in 2014 & 2015)

The results of the championship doubles matches were:

  • 10U Boys-Logan Tomovski & Trevor Novotny def. Addison Gordon & David Raynor 7-6
  • 12U Boys-Lucas Acevedo & Jacob Smith def. Ian Rasheed & Otto Sewell 8-5
  • 14U Boys-James Qu & Stanley Waters def. Conrad Alford & Grant Durham 9-7
  • 16U Boys-Luke McClelland & Chad Nash def. Kerim Hyatt & Reilly Wilson 8-3
  • 18U Boys-Jeffrey Dayton & Elijah Elie def. Gavin Stewart & Andrew Wetzel 8-5
  • 10U Girls-Taylor Kingsley & Sidney Mitchell def. Laurel Case & Mia El-Kheddiwi 6-4
  • 12U Girls-Mattie Grace Dermody & Gigi Hinson def. Saige & Sydney Severance 8-5
  • 14U Girls-Samantha Johns & Sayda Hernandez def. Robin Alston & Allie Gretkowski 9-7
  • 16U Girls-Katherine Lyman & Lauren Quinn def. Anna Letto & Nicole Sister 8-3
  • 18U Girls-Samantha Calais & Madalina Man def. Lauren Joch & Jenna Vroman 0-6, 7-5, 1-0
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Three sportsmanship awards were presented:

  • Kimberly Hampton Memorial Sportsmanship Award-Annie Jennings, Greenville
  • Matthew Strange Memorial Sportsmanship Award-Ian Rasheed, Mt. Pleasant
  • Malloy Evans Memorial Sportsmanship Award-Omar Williams, Spartanburg
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The Dunlop Scholarship was presented to Jeffrey Dayton of Murrell’s Inlet, a top student at St. James High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and played #1 singles and doubles on his tennis team all 6 years.  Dayton won 4 doubles titles during his Palmetto career, the 12U in 2010, the 16U in 2014 and the 18U in 2015 and 2016.  He finished 4th in 18U singles this year.  Jeffrey will attend Anderson University this fall.

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Tournament Director Rex Maynard said:  “We appreciate the players, parents and coaches; this tournament wouldn’t be possible without them.  The number of entries presented a challenge with courts, but everyone worked together to get it done.  The new Anderson University tennis complex was a major help! Saturday was a long day with almost 400 matches played, then Monday we doubled up after the Sunday rain delay and played another 400.  Our staff and officials were great, and there were very few problems during the tournament.  We saw some great tennis and competitive matches.  A special thanks to Jon Holmes and Chick-fil-A of Anderson for all their support as well as all the tournament sponsors.  It was another great year, and we look forward to hosting the tournament many more years in Belton.”

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Maynard was assisted by Referee Kelly Hesketh and Co-tournament Director Mark Smith plus over25 officials and 20 volunteers.  The tournament is hosted by the Belton Tennis Association and sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association.

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