Siblings reach state finals
On the final day of the 2026 high school tennis season, Hardin Valley Academy had a pair of players competing for TSSAA Class AA state singles championships.
Not only are they among the Knoxville area’s top players, they’re also siblings.
And, HVA head coach Seth Rayman had high hopes for both Madison and Jaymeson Huffman.
Both were undefeated heading into the state championships at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, but both lost in their respective title matches.
Madison, a senior, lost her first match of the season in the state final, falling to Page’s Emma Baker 7-5, 6-1.
She defeated Blackman’s Jordan Krise in straight sets to open the state tournament and downed Autumn Gunter of Hendersonville in the semifinals.
Also for Hardin Valley, Jaymson, a freshman, reached the state title match during his freshman year. He fell to Emery Corpstein (Tennessee High) in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 10-6.
Like his sister, Jaymeson won in straight sets in both the first and second rounds.
HVA coach Seth Rayman was pleased with the effort of both his players.
“Unfortunately, it was very close today,” Rayman said. “We just fell short. Jaymeson took his opponent the distance and forced a third set 10-point tie-breaker. Jaymeson is only a ninth grader and he definitely surprised the older kids.”
Jaymeson faced three seniors on the grand stage in Chattanooga.
Madison couldn’t quite recover from dropping the first set of the state title match.
“She lost the first set and then the match got away from us,” Rayman said. “HVA is the state runner-up for both boys and girls singles and it was a great run to the finals by both of them.”
In Division II-AA boys doubles, Christian Academy of Knoxville’s Caleb Cliner and Tate Campbell reached the state championship match before falling to University School of Nashville’s Max Parker and Veer Kodal in three sets on Friday, May 15.
The duo defeated Middle Tennessee Christian’s Ben Helton and Bradley Polk in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Climer and Campbell downed Lausanne’s Jonah Elijovich and Lockard Richardson, who eliminated CAK’s duo of Camden Oakley and Reagan Thomas in the opening round on Thursday, May 14.
In Division II-A girls doubles: CAK’s team of Hadley Bell and Brooke Atkins won a quarterfinal match before losing in the semifinals.
In Division II-A boys team play: University School of Nashville defeated the Warriors, 4-2, in the semifinals. Climer and Bowen Stroud won in singles for CAK.
In Division II-AA girls team play: Knoxville Catholic lost in the opening round on Tuesday, May 12. The Lady Irish were eliminated with a 4-0 loss to Chattanooga Girls Preparatory School, one of their East Region rivals.
