North Lenoir Tennis Team Advances to Third Round
The #5 seed North Lenoir Hawks tennis team (12-5) secured a spot in the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2018, after a hard-fought victory against #4 seed Clinton (10-2) with a final score of Hawks 5, Darkhorses 2. The Hawks demonstrated grit and determination as they faced a tough opponent in Clinton, and their seniors stepped up big in tiebreakers.
The match results were as follows:
Sebastian Beteta (C) def. Austin Williams (NL) 6-4 6-4
Henry Faison (C) def. Casey Alston (NL) 6-2 6-3
Josh Hardy (NL) def Brandy Sumer 2-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10)
Zach Yarus (NL) Def. Eben Best (C) 6-4 6-2
Maddox Smith (NL) def. Camden Parker (C) 6-1 6-1
Jared Carlyle (NL) def Will Johnson (C) 6-4, 2-6,1-0 (8)
Doubles: Alston/Smith def Sumner/Best 9-8(4)
North Lenoir Head Coach Scott Alston praised his team's performance, saying, "We knew we would have our hands full with Clinton. Past teams we've played have been very athletic and scrappy. Our seniors stepped up big in tiebreakers, and their experience helped keep them calm in tiebreakers today!"
Hawks senior Josh Hardy, who secured a clutch win, shared his thoughts on the nail-biting match: "The last three matches all went to tiebreakers, and two of them went to a third set tiebreaker. It was way more than stressful because it could have potentially been our last match of the season. I think I performed amazingly with a clutch win, but it's more about how we performed as a team than just one individual. As a team, we all fought hard, and we pulled out with an amazing win and are ready for round 3. Y'all better be ready out there; the Hawks are coming."
Fellow senior Jared Carlyle also emphasized the importance of teamwork and determination: "Going into my match, I knew it would be a must-win situation, which only added to the intensity of it already possibly being my last match. Luckily, we were able to pull it out. Our team has worked hard all throughout the season and played tough matches to prepare for these difficult playoff matchups. We were able to use that grit and experience to win some key matches today."
The Hawks will face the winner of #1 seed Seaforth (13-1) and #9 seed Holmes (11-6). With experienced seniors leading the charge, North Lenoir is ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.
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