TIFTON — Fresh out of the pool from swim season Tift County head tennis coach Ivey Vickers and players are already three matches into the 2025 season.

Tift played Bleckley County Feb. 5, then West Laurens Monday and Berrien on Tuesday.

Against Berrien’s perennially statewide successful tennis team, the Lady Devils earned a 3-2 victory. Abby Lupo had a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles, with freshman Sutton Sheppard taking a 10-5 tiebreaker at No. 3 after splitting sets. Riley Griffin fell 1-6, 3-6 at the other singles.

In doubles, Kate Carpenter and Kenyaria Morrow won, 6-4, 6-4. Berrien won over Madison Garner and Perrin Turner in the other match, 1-6, 6-7.

Tift County’s Blue Devils won all five matches against Berrien.

Maitrey Patel did not surrender a set, winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Elijah Hellman nearly did the same, 6-0, 6-1, and Josh Hellman won, 6-1, 6-3.

For doubles, Matthew Layfield and Seth Denham were also spotless at 6-0, 6-0. Jack Medina and Ethan White won 6-3, 6-1.

The Lady Devils shut out West Laurens, 5-0, but not without a struggle. Griffin and Lupo both needed three sets to put away their opponents at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Sheppard won at No. 3 singles in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Garner and Turner won, 6-4, 6-4. and Carpenter and Morrow won the other doubles, 6-3, 7-5.

The boys were also 5-0 against the Raiders.

All three singles won in straight sets: Josh Hellman, 6-3, 6-0; Patel, 6-3, 7-6; and Elijah Hellman, 6-1, 6-1.

At doubles, Medina and White needed a tiebreaker to win in three sets. It was much easier for Layfield and Denham at No. 1 doubles as they won, 6-2, 6-2.

Bleckley won 4-1 over the Lady Devils. Lupo had the win in singles, 6-4, 6-4. The Blue Devils fell to the Royals, 3-2.

Josh Hellman was victorious at No. 1 singles 6-0, 7-6. Layfield and  Denham had scores of 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles.

Tift will open region Thursday with home matches against Camden County.