VALDOSTA — The Lowndes girls’ and boys’ tennis teams moved one step closer to placing themselves in prime position in the Class AAAAA Region 1 playoffs.

The boys’ team defeated Tift County 4-1 and Ware County 5-0 while the girls defeated Tift 4-1 and Ware 5-0.

At 9-0 in the region, the Vikings passed a big hurdle Thursday on their way to a first-round bye by defeating the Blue Devils

“After a 4-1 victory (Thursday) against Tifton, I think we have a pretty good shot to go undefeated,” said Lowndes coach Heath Phelps.

Phelps’ thoughts stem from the fact that the Blue Devils are the Vikings’ final opponents of the regular season April 10.

The Vikings won their three singles matches as Mikey Millner (6-0, 6-3), Clayton Griffin (6-0, 6-1) and Thomas Baltrus (6-1, 6-2) picked up victories.

A change for the Vikings came in doubles action as the team of Dane Boruff and Eli Rountree won 6-3, 6-2.

Usually slow starters in doubles, the Vikings came to the courts earlier than usual playing games to get in an earlier rhythm.

“Our doubles teams have been notorious this year for getting off to slow starts in there matches, but we came out here earlier this afternoon warmed up and played a few games before Tifton arrived,” Phelps said. “It got their momentum going. I think that helps.

“It’s something we haven’t done before.”

The new strategy was successful for Boruff and Rountree, however the No. 2 doubles team of Andrew Smith and Perry Pulido suffered the only Vikings’ defeat of the match 4-6, 6-1, 4-6.

After losing one match against the Blue Devils, the Lowndes’ boy’s team didn’t suffer the same fate against Ware County winning all of its matches.

In singles Milner won 6-2, 6-1, Griffin 6-0, 6-0 and Baltrus 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The doubles tandem of Boruff and Rountree won 6-4, 6-2 and Smith and Pulido earned a 6-0, 6-2 victory.

The two wins improved the Vikings to 16-1 throughout the regular season.

While the boys are playing for a first-round bye, the Lowndes’ girl’s team continued its fight against Coffee for the No. 2 seed with a region victory against Tifton.

Lowndes’ No. 1 singles player, Lacey Hansen dropped her match 3-6, 6-7, however No. 2 Tayler Jarvis pulled off a three-set victory 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 and Lauren Godwin won 6-3, 6-3.

Both doubles teams picked up victories as Alison Keenen and Lynde Taylor won 6-4, 6-3 and Savannah Roberts and Leah Taylor notched a 6-3, 6-3 victory.

“Any region win is a big win,” Phelps said. “We won’t really know until after we play Tifton, but right now it’s between us and Coffee for the two or three seed.

“It could go either way depending on how it winds up.”

While Godwin dropped her match, Hansen improved on her first match loss by winning 6-1, 6-1 against Ware and Jarvis continued an impressive streak.

Jarvis’ 7-5, 6-0 win brought her record to a perfect 17-0 with just one match remaining against Tift County.

“She’s just very determined,” Phelps said. “She told me at the beginning of the season that she wants to go undefeated in the regular season, and she has one more match to do that.

“She’s just a very mentally tough player and does whatever it takes to win on the court.”

The Vikings’ girl’s team (12-5, 6-5) won both of its doubles 7-5, 6-3 for No. 1 and 6-2, 4-6, 10-8.

After Lowndes leaves for spring break next week, it will play its final regular season match at Tifton.