Warrior Tennis Face Madison Co. In Region Play

On March 3, 2026, the Walnut Grove tennis team faced off against Madison County in its third Region match of the season.
by Justin Andrio and Harrison Smith

On March 3, 2026, the Walnut Grove tennis team faced off against Madison County in its third Region match of the season.

The Warrior tennis team has played many tough opponents so far; they have been on a streak of wins and losses. In Region play, the boys sit at 1–2, while the girls—with impressive wins over Eastside and Cedar Shoals—sit at a 2–1 record.

Starting Lineup: Boys

• Singles One: Justin Andrio (Senior)
• Singles Two: Jack King (Sophomore)
• Singles Three: Michael Middleton-Perez (Senior)
• Doubles One: Creek Tarleton and Leo Sanchez (Sophomore, Junior)
• Doubles Two: Leo Lopez and Bradin “Sully” Gouge (Senior, Senior)

For the boys, this season has been something new. More players have been added to the team, creating a full roster that is bigger and better than last year's. Justin Andrio started at Singles Two last year and has since worked his way up into the Singles One position.

For Jack King, playing at Singles Two this year is a big step up, as he played Doubles One last year. This year he hasn't disappointed, facing many tough opponents but winning most of his matches. Doubles One this year has made a massive impact, sealing the deal with most of their Region wins so far. Creek Tarleton is a new addition to the team and has paired very well with Leo Sanchez, who is an experienced player. Creek talked about the season up to this point: “It's really good. Everyone has improved, especially newcomers.”

Feelings about the team and this season are positive throughout the whole group, but this does not mean there isn't still room for improvement. Each member of the team has something they think the team needs to work on; for Creek, he simply said, “Volleys and strokes can be better.”

Starting Lineup: Girls

• Singles One: Haylie Crunkleton (Senior)
• Singles Two: Ashley Brandt (Junior)
• Singles Three: Ella Wilkins (Junior)
• Doubles One: Kylie Hutchins and Aubree Smith (Senior, Senior)
• Doubles Two: Jayme Ethridge and Danielle Gittens (Senior, Sophomore)

Most of the varsity girls have a lot of experience playing, with Danielle being the only new addition. She has been on JV since she started playing. While Haylie has been playing Singles One since last year, she has improved her game by going to training camps and focusing on her mental ability to stay in the game with a good mindset.

For Ashley Brandt, she has improved so much moving up to Singles Two, training during the offseason and becoming one of the most powerful players on the team. Ashley, like most of the girls on the team, likes to keep a positive attitude even in a time of loss. She stated this about the matches: “I think the team played well and tried our best because the school we played [against] was advanced.”

Ella Wilkins played Singles Three last season and has stayed in the same spot this season, but she continues to dominate her opponents and focus on her consistency and footwork. Kylie and Aubree are not only best friends off the court, but they are also fierce partners on the court. They have been playing together for two years and have been at the top spot for a while now, helping out the girls' team to a 2–1 Region record.

Overall, the team lost 4–1 on the girls' line and 4–1 on the boys' lines. Come out and support the Warriors as they face East Forsyth on Tuesday, March 10, at 4:00 p.m.!