The 2025 season for the tennis teams at Morgan County High School is already in full swing.
The Dogs and Lady Dogs are coached by Connor Perry, who is in his second season. He has set the bar high for both teams this year after they were both knocked out of the postseason by Wesleyan in the Elite Eight.
Perry made this season’s non-region schedule challenging for a reason. He wanted both teams to face high-level competition before the playoffs to prepare his players for another deep postseason run.
“I did it on purpose because I wanted our teams to be prepared for playoff time,' Perry said. “We’ve faced strong teams from both lower and higher classifications to make us battle-tested.”
Morgan County has already faced powerhouses such as Class 6A’s Brookwood and Class A Division II’s Lake Oconee Academy. The teams have also competed against Athens Academy, Wesleyan, Oconee County, and North Oconee.
The Dogs and Lady Dogs fared well and held their own in those matches.
“We’re doing well. We’ve battled through tough opponents and matches,” Perry said. “We’ve also taken care of business in the new region during the regular season. I’m optimistic to see the regular season finish up and how the postseason goes.”
Perry pushes his players to the edge, hoping they have that hunger to make another deep run in the state playoffs.
Both teams have returned several key starters from last season and had a few young faces also step up.
Morgan County’s boys are led by Aiden West, Leyton Hull, and Tommy Arthur, all singles players who consistently win points. They’ve been reliable all season. Charlie Arnold and Walt Palmer have excelled together in the No. 1 doubles position, while Reese Freyer and Landen Behrndt are also competing at a high level.
Perry likes how deep the Dogs are and said the group does a good job of motivating each other.
“For the boys, their competitiveness has been a major asset this season,” Perry said. “They effectively compete and challenge each other most days during practice, which is great to see.”
At the top, the Lady Dogs are led by Mallory Martin, their No. 1 singles player. Kate Davis and Madisyn Cunningham are right behind Martin and have proven their worth. Together, they form the team’s core as key returners.
Banessa Santoyo and Lyssa Schafer have seen their stock rise as the season has progressed, maintaining their position as the No. 1 doubles team. There has been some rotation in the No. 2 doubles spot, but young players Makenna Cannington and Lillianne Piche have made significant contributions.
Perry acknowledged how the girls have done a great job of accepting their roles and enjoying where they fit in.
“They’ve embraced their roles well for singles or doubles,” Perry said. “They’re focused on what they can control and what they can do to get better.”
Morgan County’s teams have three matches left until the Region 4-AA tournament on April 8. “We’ve just got to keep grinding,” Perry said. “We must keep our heads down and keep working to achieve our goals.”