ALL-NWADG GIRLS SINGLES TENNIS

SINGLES PLAYER OF THE YEAR MARY HOUSTON SCHOOL Fayetteville CLASS Junior THE SCOOP Houston won the Girls Overall singles championship in North Little Rock by defeating Lucia Canigova 7-6, 6-4 in the finals. It was the third victory in four tries for Houston over Canigova, a senior from Bentonville, after Houston won her second consecutive title in Arkansas' highest classification. Houston also beat Canigova 6-0, 6-1 to win the state championship. She advanced to the semifinals of the Overall Tournament last year but lost to Taylor Shaw of Little Rock Christian in straight sets. The all-state performer will have another busy summer while playing in the U.S. Tennis Association in tournaments throughout the South. DID YOU KNOW? Houston is ranked 49th by the USTA in girls 16s in the South. She has represented Arkansas for the last three years on the Southern Cup team, which is her favorite tournament. Houston's favorite subject in school is math, and she helps foster kitties through the animal shelter. Houston, Grace Coleman and Yasmine Humbert -- all Fayetteville tennis players -- are longtime friends, and they bonded during a summer tournament in Shreveport, La., where they ate crawfish, and plenty of them, Houston said. She also tried and also liked escargot (edible land snails) while playing in a tournament in Nice, France. QUOTABLE "Going in, I knew I had to be completely focused after losing to (Canigova) in conference," Houston said of her victory in the finals. "She's an amazing player, but I beat her before, and I knew I could do it again if I played the way I can."

ALL-NWADG GIRLS SINGLES TENNIS

Photo Credit: Ben Goff

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