A win for Adam County Christian School’s Hope Johnson Tuesday meant defeating childhood friend CeCe McKinney of Cathedral, and the match ended up as perhaps one of her toughest yet.

After splitting the first two sets of the No. 2 singles MAIS showdown, Johnson ultimately defeated McKinney on a 10-point tiebreaker, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0.

The Green Wave (9-2) took the win overall, 6-3.

“I got behind and ended up winning,” Johnson said. “You can’t ever quit.”

McKinney began with an early 4-3 lead, but things took a quick turn as Johnson rallied to win the last three games to take the first set.

It wasn’t until Cathedral coach Beth Foster discovered McKinney had fallen behind that she knew something was up.

“I saw she was winning, so I kept walking around the courts,” Foster said. “When I called her to the fence, she looked pale. I told her we could call (the match), but she said ‘No I can do it.’”

Despite McKinney’s sudden stomach pains, she kept playing and used a few clever tip shots to even the match.

The response didn’t come without a fight, however.

It looked as if McKinney would pull ahead quickly, receiving her first chance at a set-point on a 5-2 advantage. She then traded three deuces before Johnson would prolong the second set. McKinney finally tied the match on a wide shot from Johnson after a final deuce in the closing game of the set.

“I’m always nervous to play Cathedral,” Johnson said. “They are really competitive, and we are rivals, but you have to keep up with it. I just have to stay in the game at all times because anything can happen.”

Johnson breezed to a 10-3 win in the tiebreaker, and ACCS coach Jim Bob Allgood said the two-year player has always shown determination.

“Seeing her come this far in the short amount of time, I’m very proud for her,” Allgood said.

Despite falling, Foster said its good to see McKinney can stick to the game.

“She has heart,” she said. “She refused to forfeit.”

Both Cathedral and ACCS will travel Thursday to Jones Community College for the district tournamnet hosted by Laurel Christian.

CATHEDRAL 6,

ADAMS COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 3

Singles

No. 1 Boys Beau Stahlam (ACCS) def. Aiden Whitaker (C) — 6-2, 6-1

No. 2 Boys Cathedral won by forfeit

No. 1 Girls Lessley Dooley (C) def. Sarah Snyder (ACCS) — 6-1, 6-0

No. 2 Girls Hope Johnson (ACCS) def. CeCe McKinney (C) — 6-4, 4-6, 1-0

Doubles

No. 1 Boys Cathedral won by forfeit

No. 2 Boys Samuel Frieberger and Hartley Pyron (C) def. Chris Thompson and Landon Kreuger (ACCS) — 6-0, 6-4

No. 1 Girls Emma Houge and Marty Lewis (C) def. Marlee McGee and Shelby Mason (ACCS) — 6-0, 6-0

No. 2 Girls Grace Anne White and Natalie Fletcher (C) def. Julianna Galbreath and Sydney Lawrence (ACCS) — 6-0, 6-0

Mixed Austin Heard and Kaci Guedon (ACCS) def. Harris Pyron and Grayson Bryant (C) — 6-1, 6-3

NEXT — CHS and ACCS: District Tournament Thursday at Jones Community College.