Six area players qualify for Maryland state tennis tournament

COLUMBIA — Six players from area schools qualified for the Maryland Class 1A tennis state tournament beginning on Thursday.

Northern’s Brice Roche advanced in boys singles by reaching the West Region final.

He fell 7-5, 6-2 to Clear Spring’s Brady Ernst in the final and will be the No. 7 seed at states.

Roche opens the quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Keagan Luu of Harford Tech.

Southern’s Shane Sisler and Sean Eiswert qualified in doubles.

They fell 6-0, 6-3 to Clear Spring’s Blake Crampton and Wyatt Albowicz in the region final and earned the No. 5 seed.

The duo faces No. 4 J. Rollins and J. Nejedly from Henry E. Lackey.

First names were unavailable for their opponent.

Abbey Kennell of Mountain Ridge advanced in girls singles.

She fell in the region final, 6-1 in both sets to Brunwick’s Lena Butler.

Kennell is the No. 5 seed and opens with No. 4 Bella Filippi of Century.

In mixed doubles, Southern’s Charlie Buchanan and Hailey Harvey reached the region semifinals.

They fell 6-2, 6-1 to Boonsboro’s Blake Marquis and Samantha Bailey and will be the No. 7 seed.

The pair opens with No. 2 Brady Sullivan and Stephanie Nguyen from Harford Tech.

The quarterfinals begin on Thursday at the Wild Lake Tennis Club in Columbia.