Nearly just as quick as it began, the area 2009 girls tennis season is coming to a close.

Mount Airy took the overall title, just edging rival North Stokes despite missing its final match of the season against West Stokes Monday due to poor weather.

With the team title decided, the top individual performers from the Northwest 1A/2A Conference will take center stage.

The top eight individual and doubles team players will converge on Mount Airy beginning today (weather permitting) for the conference tournament and a chance to represent the area farther into the fall.

Up for grabs are several spots in the 2009 NCHSAA regionals, with the top three finishers in each division (1A singles, 1A doubles, 2A singles, 2A doubles) advancing to the first week of regional play.

While only the top eight singles and doubles finishers from across the eight team conference are invited to the conference tournament, Surry County is strongly represented.

East Surry’s Megan Shelton, who finished the season undefeated in singles play, is the top 1A singles seed, with Mount Airy’s Jordan Jackson starting out at No. 2 and East’s Marcie Matthews No. 4. Mount Airy’s Alex Rigney is also a participant in the singles tournament and will face Shelton in first-round action.

In the 2A draw, Surry Central’s Tara Dockery and Taylor Casey claimed the top two seeds, with Dockery set to take on North Surry’s Chantel Davis in first-round play.

The Greyhounds’ Katie Smith also qualified for the tournament and will face No. 3 seeded Chelsea Evans of South Stokes in the first round.

In 1A doubles play, Mount Airy’s senior duo of Ellie Case and Jordan Gwyn have a strong shot at regional play, beginning their run for the title as the No. 2 seed. While Case and Gwyn are the only Surry County team seeded among the top four, Mount Airy’s Elizabeth Dinkins and Merry Kessler and the East Surry teams of Chloe Imus and Leah Gibson and Sarah and Laura Thompson all qualified for the eight-team tournament.

In 2A doubles, Surry Central’s Hunter Marion and Kayla Feeney have the top seed, while North Surry’s Chainey Kuykendall and Elizabeth Thompson start at No. 4. Surry Central’s Megan Gillespie and Gabby Shinault and North Surry’s Abigail Brannock and Tedi Sue Tucker also qualified for the tournament.

NW 1A Singles Conference Tournament

#1 Megan Shelton (ES)

Match 1

Alex Rigney (MA)

Kendra Hopkins (NSt)

Match 2

#4 Katy Jones (BM)



#3 Marcie Matthews (ES)

Match 3

Marie Petrangeli (BM)



Millie Norman (NSt)

Match 4

#2 Jordan Jackson (MA)

NW 1A Doubles Conference Tournament

#1 Ciriano / Davis (BM)

Match 1

L. Thompson / S. Thompson (ES)

Dinkins / Kessler (MA)

Match 2

#4 Pack / Hutchins (NSt)

#3 Wilkins / York (NSt)

Match 3

Imus / Gibson (ES)

Curnes / Kennedy (BM)

Match 4

#2 Case / Gwyn (MA)

NW 2A Singles Conference Tournament

#1 Tara Dockery (SC)

Match 1

Chantel Davis (Nsu)

#4 Whitney Moon (WS)

Match 2

Katie Miller (SS)

#3 Chelsea Evans (SS)

Match 3

Katie Smith (Nsu)

#2 Taylor Casey (SC)

Match 4

McKayla Newsome (WS)

NW 2A Doubles Conference Tournament

#1 Marion / Feeney (SC)

Match 1

Shelton / Webster (WS)

#4 Kuykendall / Thompson (Nsu)

Match 2

Stevens / Young (SS)

#3 Holder / Isaacs (WS)

Match 3

Gillespie / Shinault (SC)

#2 Burroughs / Sands (SS)

Match 4

Brannock / Tucker (Nsu)