Houston High School senior Connor McKinney added to his collection of tennis championships last week, winning the South Central Association singles crown for the third straight season.
In the 2025 SCA Tournament last Thursday at Willow Springs, McKinney – seeded second in the singles bracket – won matches over opponents from Salem (8-1) and Mountain Grove (8-3) and then defeated Willow Springs senior Will Clarkston in the championship match, 8-4.
The win over Clarkston avenged a loss the previous day when the same two players met in the No. 1 singles final at the West Plains Invitational Tournament. Clarkston also beat McKinney earlier in the season.
McKinney’s “three-peat” is the first of its kind in the SCA.
“It’s never been done, and I feel proud of him,” said HHS head coach Josh McKinney (Connor’s father, who was an accomplished player at the high school and college level). “It hasn’t been easy; he’s had to overcome some opponents who have beaten him two or three times each season.”
Trailing 3-1 in the final with Clarkston serving game 5, Connor McKinney made a couple of adjustments that proved crucial.
“He wasn’t playing his best,” said coach McKinney, “but at 3-1 down he changed his game and really tried to be conservative and consistent as well as mix in some power shots to take the match.”
Connor McKinney also won the Class 1 District 8 singles championship in 2024.
“I’m ecstatic – really proud of myself,” he said. “There was lots of work; lots of going out during the summer and putting in work other than just seasonal practices. A lot of what I did in middle school was spending hours every day working on my groundstrokes and stuff.
“It’s rewarding for sure.”
HHS freshman Elijah Jones also played singles and fell to a Liberty player in his first match, 8-5.
In doubles, HHS juniors Kaleb McGiboney and Jack Sandberg were the No. 3 seed but fell in the opening round to Salem, 8-6.
“They fell in a big hole early in the match but really battled to come back and almost pull it off,” coach McKinney said. “That Salem team ended up getting second and are a tough team.”
Houston juniors Riley Wilson and Gavin Altman also played doubles and won their opening match against a Liberty duo, 8-4, but then drew the top-seeded pair from Salem and lost 8-0.
“I was proud of how well we played,” coach McKinney said. “We have improved a lot since the beginning of the season.”
WEST PLAINS TOURNAMENT
“I thought we played well and was proud of the results,” said coach McKinney.
In the No. 1 singles bracket, Connor McKinney posted 8-5 wins over players from Rogersville and Forsyth before the loss to Clarkston.
In No. 2 singles, Jones had to step in from the JV squad and play for Houston. He lost 8-1 to Mountain Grove, 6-0 to Salem and finished off the day playing well but losing to Liberty, 6-4.
“I was glad he got some experience as he just keeps improving every practice,” coach McKinney said.
In No. 1 doubles, McGiboney and Sandberg drew the team from Forsyth in the first round (who ended up winning the tournament) and lost 8-0. They then played West Plains and won 6-4 and in the 5th place match played Willow Springs and won 6-3.
“They played well being the first time they had played together,” coach McKinney said.
In No. 2 doubles, Wilson and Altman lost to top-seeded Forsyth 8-0 in the first round and then fell to Mountain Grove, 6-0.
Houston hosted Liberty on Monday of this week and won, 8-1.
The Tennis Tigers competed on Wednesday (April 30) in the Class 1 District 5 Championships hosted by Logan-Rogersville at the Gillenwater Park and Tennis Complex in Springfield. Other teams in the district include Liberty, Licking, Mountain Grove, Osage, Sale, Springfield Catholic and Willow Springs.
There are eight districts in each class this season, and there won’t be a sectionals competition, so the top two teams from each district advance to the round of 16 in the state brackets.
