Jasper, AL. - The Marion Military Institute's men's tennis team returned from the ITA regional champions this past weekend with a 9-14 overall win loss record against some of the nation's best junior college programs and some of the hottest playing conditions this fall.   Seven of the nine schools competing at this year's regional championships finished last year in the ITA top 25 national rankings.

Asher Higgins had the tournament's best run in the C singles main draw falling just short of taking home the title, losing to Trip Tucker of Gadsden State CC 4-6, 7-6 (5), 5-10. Asher was only a few points away from the Gadsden 'hat trick' defeating, Tristen Rodgers 6-0, 6-4 in the first round and Braxton Strickland 6-4, 6-0 in the semifinals. both from Gadsden State CC.

Bryce Manalo received a first-round bye and lost his first match to Nils Guyot of Coastal Alabama CC South 6-4, 6-2 but played well in the back draw defeating Justin Gray (Central Al CC) 8-5, Maanas Krishnaswami (Emory) 8-3 and Skye Thomson (Emory) 8-5 before falling to Andrew Griffith (USC Sumter) 5-8 in the semifinals.

The doubles team of John Brinkley and Ade Simmons played well defeating Andrew Krack and Cade Newell (Central Al CC) 8-1 before losing to the top seeded team of Marcos Cano and Alex Hernandez (Wallace State CC) 5-8.