Penelope Gordon wins, but FWB girls tennis falls 4-1 at 2A state

Penelope Gordon wins, but FWB girls tennis falls 4-1 at 2A state

OCSD Assistant Superintendent Lindsay Maxey gives the opening greetings on April 2, 2026 as Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, left, and OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers, right, listen during the ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Assistant Superintendent Lindsay Maxey speaks April. 2, 2026 during the opening of the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

The April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026 The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers thanks his staff, community partners, and others during the April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers briefly explains the ideas behind the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs. This photo was taken at the ribbon cutting ceremony, held April 2, 2026.

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers, left, introduces Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, during the April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting event for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, speaks during the ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

An exam room at the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

Guests react after a quick ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

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Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

OCSD Assistant Superintendent Lindsay Maxey gives the opening greetings on April 2, 2026 as Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, left, and OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers, right, listen during the ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

1 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

OCSD Assistant Superintendent Lindsay Maxey gives the opening greetings on April 2, 2026 as Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, left, and OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers, right, listen during the ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

2 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Assistant Superintendent Lindsay Maxey speaks April. 2, 2026 during the opening of the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

3 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

4 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

The April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

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Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026 The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

6 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

7 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Employees and guests tour the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach on April 2, 2026. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

8 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers thanks his staff, community partners, and others during the April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

9 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers briefly explains the ideas behind the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs. This photo was taken at the ribbon cutting ceremony, held April 2, 2026.

10 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

OCSD Superintendent Marcus Chambers, left, introduces Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, during the April 2, 2026 ribbon cutting event for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

11 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Paul Lutz, regional operations manager for Marathon Health, speaks during the ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

12 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

An exam room at the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

13 / 13

Okaloosa County School District opens employee health clinic

Guests react after a quick ribbon cutting for the new Okaloosa County School District Employee Health Clinic in Fort Walton Beach. The clinic, in partnership with Marathon Health, will be able to provide more affordable healthcare for employees with clinic hours that fit their work schedules and needs.

CASSELBERRY — For the second straight year, Fort Walton Beach's run at perfection ended in the first round of the 2A state girls tennis tournament.

Fresh off two clean sweeps to defend their Region 1-2A crown, the unseeded Vikings lost 4-1 to second-seeded Gulliver Prep in Monday's 2A state quarterfinals at Red Bug Lake Park.

Fort Walton's No. 1 singles player Penelope Gordon pulled down the lone win for the Vikings, showing fortitude by overcome a 2-6 opening-set loss and leading 5-3 in the second set before frustrating her opponent into a retire. Her perseverence highlighted the many individual and team milestones the Vikings celebrated in 2026.

Vote now: Florida Power & Light Athlete of the Week

On to Region Semis: Blake Peters' 3-run HR highlights Choctaw baseball's 9-0 win

For starters, it was a second straight unbeaten regular season. Then in defending their team crown at districts, the Vikings won six of the seven draws to cruise past South Walton. Reese Armstrong, Katie Eubanks, Gigi Biro and Mary Grace Walker won titles in the Nos. 2-5 singles slot, and in doubles Gordon and Armstrong won the No. 1 title and Eubanks and Biro won the No. 2 crown.

At regionals, the Vikings swept Suwannee 7-0 to advance to play at Eastside, which they swept 4-0 to hoist a second straight regional crown. While it didn't translate to a win at state, FWB coach Pat Markey said "we're a better team than last year."

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: FWB girls tennis loses in 2A state quarterfinal to Gulliver Prep