By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

They broke in the new courts.

The 28th edition of the Granger Invitational began on Friday, and while the action began later than scheduled because of rain, all of the matches were played to completion.

The tournament will wrap up today, and boys’ and girls’ champions will be crowned in five different divisions.

Dozens of teams from across the state are participating in the tournament, and the matches are being contested at seven different facilities.

One of those facilities is what is now called the C. Leon Pitts Tennis Center at McCluskey Tennis Complex.

Former McCluskey Tennis Center, the facility has received a significant makeover.

In addition to a new clubhouse which has a wrap-around veranda, there are six new hard courts which were completed last week.

Dozens of matches were played as the courts opened for business on Friday.

“The first balls that were struck on this court were today,” said Kenny Moore, LaGrange High’s tennis coach since 1992.

Moore believes having a high-quality tennis center has been integral to the success of the LaGrange High program, and he said said “it gets better and better. I want all the stake holders in this community to know how much I appreciate it.”

Players from LaGrange and Callaway were able to test out the new courts.

Three teams from LaGrange, as well as the Callaway girls’ team, each played two matches on Friday.

Callaway’s boys’ team played its matches at Heard County on Friday.

“They get to break it in,” Callaway coach April Bunn said. “They get to celebrate it, because this is the ground-breaking really. It’s also good to see all the different schools.”

LaGrange has two girls’ teams competing in the tournament, and one boys’ team.

LaGrange’s boys’ team went 1-1 in division three on Friday with a hard-fought loss to Early County and a victory over Allatoona.

LaGrange will play its final tournament match today at noon at McCluskey Tennis Complex.

LaGrange’s varsity girls’ team, which is in division two, dropped both of its matches on Friday, falling to Greenbrier and Coffee County.

LaGrange will play its final match today at 11 a.m. at McCluskey Tennis Center.

LaGrange’s junior-varsity girls’ team is competing in division five, and it beat Callaway and Jefferson to advance to today’s championship match.

LaGrange will play Allatoona at 11 a.m. at McCluskey Tennis Complex.

Both Callaway teams are in division five.

Callaway’s boys’ team beat Christian Heritage and Heard County on Friday to advance to the championship match, which will be played at Callaway today at 10 a.m.

Callaway’s girls’ team fell to LaGrange and Sonoraville on Friday, and it will play Campbell today at 9 a.m. at Heard County.

OF NOTE: For a tournament recap, including individual results for all of the Callaway and LaGrange teams, see Tuesday’s sports section.