Tennis: Mosley sweeps Bay (See Photos)

PANAMA CITY — Five years is a long losing streak.

Bay’s Jason Moody hadn’t defeated Mosley’s Adam Decker since they were 12. This season was his final opportunity during his junior year, as the Dolphins’ ace is a senior.

Moody finally was able to knock off Decker during Tuesday’s match at Bay.

Despite knowing almost everything that Moody was about to hit, Decker couldn’t stop a fierce comeback. Playing with a sore right elbow after a weeklong bout with tendinitis, Moody rallied from a one-set deficit to win 2-6, 6-2, 12-10.

“I knew a lot of the time when he’s going to go down the line or crosscourt,” Decker said. “When he serves out wide, I almost always know where it’s going.”

Moody’s win was the only one for Bay in both the boys and girls matches.

Mosley’s boys (5-3) defeated Bay 5-1, as the final doubles match ended early because of darkness with Bay ahead 5-3. The Lady Dolphins (2-6) swept through the Lady Tornadoes, winning 7-0.

Bay’s boys are 3-3 and the girls are 2-5.

“It was good to win by this many,” Mosley coach Renee Whitton said. “It was a good effort.”

Moody’s triumph came in the toughest match of the day for either team. On the first day of FCAT testing, Moody sent the tie-breaker to 6-6 with a laser just inside the line. Decker and Moody traded points until Moody tied it again at 10-10 with a slam over Decker’s head. Moody took an 11-10 lead on a ground stroke from the back right corner that sailed under Decker’s racket.

On match point, Moody and Decker tried to use five years worth of knowledge to outsmart each other. After a few basic volleys, Decker returned a drop shot as Moody rushed the net, but Moody was too close to get a strong volley. He readjusted in midair and the ball hit it off the bottom of his racket to rebound over the cord. Decker lofted his ensuing shot too deep and gave Moody the match.

“I just had to keep the same mindset,” Moody said.

Mosley’s Caleb Windholtz won the No. 2 match, 6-4, 6-2, over Tyler Barr and the last three matches were close as Bay forced tiebreakers.

Mosley’s No. 3, Grant Talkington, defeated Pat Barry 6-2, 3-6, 10-7. Jameson Hall beat Bay’s Dylan McCormick 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 before Mosley’s Justin Gilbert needed a tiebreaker to overtake Chris Owen, 6-3, 2-6, 10-2.

“I was proud of them, we lost some matches, but I didn’t think we lost for a lack of effort,” Bay coach Kay Kovaleski said. “I liked what I saw with the boys.”

Mosley’s girls cruised, not giving up more than four games in any of the singles. The closest Bay came was in doubles, when Myranda Chapman and Katie Jernigan pushed Hillary Maddox and Sara Crane but lost 8-6.

Moody’s win wasn’t just the end of a streak in his rivalry against Decker, it also was Decker’s first loss against a county opponent in four years.

“I was disappointed,” Decker said. “I hit (Monday) and I hit really well. I was hitting the ball really flat.”

Whitton believed the loss Tuesday may help him in the long run.

“It was a good win for Jason,” Whitton said. “This was a great match for Adam to get ready for district play. I felt like he tried to put the ball away too quickly and Jason returned.”

Results, with Mosley players listed first.

Boys

• Singles — 1. Adam Decker def. by Jason Moody 6-2, 2-6, 12-10. 2. Caleb Windholtz def. Tyler Barr 6-2, 6-4. 3. Grant Talkington def. Pat Barry 6-2, 3-6, 10-7. 4. Jameson Hall def. Dylan McCormick 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. 5. Justin Gilbert def. Chris Owen 6-3, 2-6, 10-2.
• Doubles — 1. Decker-Windholtz def. Barr-Ryan Joseph 5-2. 2. McCormick-Barry led Talkington-Kevin Roby 5-3 (called due to darkness).

Girls

• Singles — 1. Hillary Maddox def. Myranda Chapman 6-3, 6-0. 2. Megan Sizmur def. Katie Jernigan 6-2, 6-2. 3. Ashley Ingram def. Dezy Bacon 8-0. 4. Sara Crane def. Carolina Hanson 8-3. 5. Kali Young def. Muna Alsalhi 6-4, 6-2.
• Doubles — 1. Maddox-Crane def. Chapman-Jernigan 8-6. 2. Sizmur-Ingram def. Bacon-Hanson 8-1.