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NATCHEZ — The MHSAA Region 5 5A district tournament was held at Duncan Park Tuesday. Brookhaven High School took home the district title and Natchez High School finished as a runner up.

Four Bulldogs advanced to the Individual State Championships in Oxford. In boys singles, Kahari McNeal advanced as the district runner up. In girls singles, Samaria Spears advanced as the district runner up and and in mixed doubles Donato Miller and Alexis Woods advanced. 

McNeal lost to Cohen Leggett 6-4 and 7-6 in two sets. Natchez boys doubles pair Christian Young and Mikel Minor lost to Vicksburg’s Kia Davis and Payton James 6-3 and 6-3. Boys doubles pair Kamden Lewis and Isaiah Pierce lost to Vicksburg pair Johnathan Juve and Trevor Robertson 6-1 and 6-3. 

Spears beat Vicksburg’s Tia Doyle 6-0 and 6-0. She lost to Anna Grace McCreary in the girls singles final 6-2 and 6-2. Bulldog girls doubles pair Keyiaha Thomas and Kimera Bailey lost to Vicksburg’s Amya Hunter and Tilah McGowman 6-0 and 6-0. Natchez doubles pair Joey Willy and Peyton Bell defeated Vicksburg’s Grace Tyler and Mekhyla Smith 6-4 and 6-4. They would lose to Brookhaven’s pair Lucy Allen and Caroline Kilpatrick 6-0 and 6-0. 

Natchez’s mixed doubles pair Donato Miller and Alexis Woods beat Vicksburg’s Kam Bailey and Kennedy Mullins 6-3 and 6-1. Brookhaven’s John Sones and Allie Grace beat Miller and Woods 7-5 and 7-5 in the final. 

As a team, the Bulldogs will travel to play Vancleave on Monday at 3 p.m. The State Championships are set for April 28-29, 2022 in Oxford. Katrenia McNeal served as the acting head coach in Delores Whitley’s absence. She was in the hospital Tuesday and missed her team’s district tournament.

“I’m super proud of the young team. Today they played hard in honor of their coach Delores Whitley who has been battling illness the past couple of weeks,” McNeal said.