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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Homewood’s Gray Johnson returns the ball in a doubles match with Mathias Praestholm against Helena during the Class 6A tennis sectionals at the Pelham Tennis Center on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Erin Nelson Photo by Erin Nelson
Homewood’s Sam Housman returns the ball in a singles championship match against Mountain Brook during the Class 6A tennis sectionals at the Pelham Tennis Center on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Photo by Erin Nelson.
MOBILE -- The Homewood High School tennis program has been on the verge the last few years, and officially broke through this spring.
Homewood’s boys tennis team claimed the first state trophy in over 30 years, finishing as the Class 6A runner-up. Mountain Brook dominated the state tournament, but Homewood edged out Trinity Presbyterian for the red map trophy.
Homewood won the state title in 1985 and was runner-up in 1986. The Patriots can now add 2023 to that mix.
“The athletic department was really excited about it,” Homewood coach Terrance Cobb said. “The athletic department has been successful in a lot of other sports, but to add tennis in the mix for that, that’s awesome.”
The two-day tournament was held April 24-25 at the Mobile Tennis Center. Homewood did not drop a set, much less a match, in the first day of the tournament, which set the Patriots up for a strong finish.
With all six singles players and all three doubles players advancing to the second day of the tournament, Homewood was able to accumulate enough points to claim second place.
Sam Housman reached the final at No. 5 singles as well. He defeated Hazel Green’s Coleson Pack 6-0, 6-2 in the opening round. He then dominated Hartselle’s Cade Simmons 6-1, 6-0. He picked up another convincing victory in the semifinals, beating Trinity’s Trevor Wilson 6-1, 6-1. He fell to Mountain Brook’s Max Gayden 6-1, 6-0 in the final.
Homewood’s boys reached state last year and it was clear the Patriots would be strong once again this season. Cobb said he reminded his players whenever they faced a strong team during the season, that they were one of those strong teams themselves. Playing the likes of Montgomery Academy, Vestavia Hills and Hoover during the season helped prepare them as well.
Homewood finished second at the section tournament the week prior to state, beating the likes of Altamont, Helena, Pelham and Briarwood to get there.
Gray Johnson is one of the top players in the state and was performing as such during the state tournament, until he was forced to retire due to injury, knocking him out of the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles competitions. But the Patriots made it a team effort and piled up enough points to still claim the second spot.
Mathias Praestholm moved to Homewood this year and provided a lift at the No. 2 singles slot. He advanced to the semifinals. Colton Cox at No. 3 singles, Camden Cox at No. 4 singles and Winston Jones at No. 6 singles all advanced to the semis as well.
Johnson and Praestholm made it to the No. 1 doubles semis before Johnson’s injury, while Colton Cox and Charlie Reeves at No. 2 doubles and Camden Cox and Will Andress at No. 3 doubles each made it to the semifinals as well.
Cobb gave specific praise for Reeves, an athlete most know from his days on the football field.
“His skill and game grew so much throughout the year,” Cobb said. “He rose to that level and he really played well for us.”
The girls team finished third at the section tournament, narrowly missing the state tourmament.
Cobb said the overall success of the boys and girls teams at Homewood is a product of the sport growing in popularity in Homewood.
“The talent is being produced and grown before high school and we’re able to maximize and reap the benefits of it,” he said.
