Meridian resident Isabella Sanders gets set to swing during a match against Lainey Eveges Saturday afternoon in the State Games of Mississippi's tennis tournament at Northwood Country Club.

Saturday’s State Games tennis competition was somewhat bittersweet for rising sophomore Lainey Eveges.

After helping Lamar to an MAIS Class AAAA, Division II state championship in late April by winning the girls doubles state title, Eveges took part in a singles qualifying match Saturday at the Northwood County Club tennis courts, host to this year’s State Games tennis tournament. 

It was a chance to compete against locals on her home courts, but with Eveges moving to Alexandria, Virginia, at the end of the month, it was also one of her last opportunities to play in Meridian. The main thing Eveges took away from the match, though, wasn’t the possible finality of it.

“This is a fun tournament to play in, because a lot of people I know are in it, so there isn’t as much pressure,” Eveges explained. “It’s fun to play with my friends again.”

Eveges practices regularly at Northwood’s courts, often against fellow Lamar teammate Ava Durgin or Will McCarty, who is currently the top-ranked player from the Meridian area by USTA. While she enjoys playing on her home courts, Eveges admitted it’s not easy to view her friends as competitors.

“It’s hard to play against friends, but it’s good practice.”

Eveges eventually ended up with a silver medal in the U16 girls division.

Annabelle Simmons, Eveges’ doubles partner at Lamar, was also on-hand Saturday and won a gold medal in the U14 girls division. 

“It’s awesome,” Simmons said. “I feel like all of my hard work has paid off.”

Simmons said she was able to consistently serve the ball well Saturday, and her forehand was also working. A rising freshman at Lamar, Simmons also practices at Northwood regularly and said she enjoyed competing there for State Games.

“It’s special to play on my home courts and to see other kids I know and how well they play,” Simmons said. 

Josie Tullos, of Decatur, began playing tennis seven years ago due in part for her dislike of softball, which her father made her play at first. Tullos is the daughter of Newton County baseball coach Wyatt Tullos, and the younger Tullos said she didn’t want to keep playing a sport where she swung a bat, so she chose to swing a tennis racquet instead. 

“It took a while to get used to (tennis), but one of my role models is Allie Grace Walker, who was a state champion as a sophomore for Newton County, so I wanted to be like her,” Tullos explained.

After competing in the State Games tournament Saturday, Tullos finished with the silver medal in the U14 girls division and said her favorite part was watching her friends compete.

“Everyone did really well,” Tullos said. “I think Annabelle deserved that gold. She did really well.”

With the tennis competition being moved to the second weekend of State Games, McCarty was able to compete in the tournament without having to choose between it and a prominent USTA tournament.

“I feel like State Games of Mississippi is kind of a bigger deal — or at least, it feels that way,” McCarty said.

Despite so many familiar faces, McCarty said he’s met some new tennis players at State Games, even though they don’t live far from Meridian.

“Everyone in this tournament is pretty local, but I never realized there were so many players from Enterprise and Newton, so that’s cool,” McCarty said. “I’m also super-comfortable out here. I love playing on the courts I practice on, plus it’s easy for coaches from places like MCC and East Central (Community College) to come out here and recruit.”

McCarty played a match against Enterprise’s Tyler Mosley, who graduated this past month and will continue his tennis career at Holmes Community College.

“State Games shows what I have to look forward to and teaches me new ways to play,” Mosley said.

It also offers a lesson in staying hydrated, as temperatures reached the 90s Saturday.

“You have to drink fluids like water and Gatorade and use a towel to keep the sweat off,” Mosley explained.

The biggest key, though, is prepping for the heat the night before, McCarty said.

“If you start drinking water the day of the match it’s a little too late,” McCarty said. “You have to start two days before.”

McCarty finished with the gold medal in the U18 division, while Mosley finished with the bronze.