In its most challenging week so far this season, the Rockbridge County High School boys tennis team went 1-2 against Valley District rivals last week, defeating Broadway but falling to Turner Ashby and Spotswood.
The Wildcats (9-3 overall, 6-3 district), who had earned a 5-4 road win over TA on April 22, suffered a 5-4 home loss to the Knights (10-2, 6-2) on Tuesday of last week at the Lexington Country Club courts.
After winning two of three doubles matches, at No. 1 and No. 2, the Wildcats claimed the top two singles matches, with Nic Vargas winning at No. 1 and Nic Faulds taking care of business at No. 2. The Wildcats just needed one more win and were ahead in some of the remaining singles matches, but TA pulled through to split the regular-season series.
Last Wednesday, the Wildcats bounced back with a 7-2 road win on a windy day at Broadway (6-7, 2-6). RC, which had beaten Broadway 8-1 on March 24 in Lexington, won the top two doubles matches in the rematch and claimed the top four singles matches. Singles winners for RC were Nic Vargas at No. 1, Faulds at No. 2, Gardner Clement at No. 3 and Joe Vargas at No. 4.
The Wildcats concluded the week with an 8-1 road loss to Spotswood (8-2, 6-0). In their previous meeting on April 8 in Lexington, the Trailblazers had beaten RC 7-2, but the matches were closer this time. “We lost, but we sure played a lot better,” said RC head coach Scott Youngdahl.
RC’s lone win came at No. 2 singles, where Faulds defeated Ryland Wade 8-2. Nic Vargas challenged Spotswood’s Nate Lees at No. 1 before falling 8-5.
The closest matches of the day were at the top two doubles spots. At No. 1, Lees and Wade overcame Faulds and Nic Vargas 9-7. At No. 2, Spotswood’s Drew Wiley and Jackson Graves battled to a 9-8 (7-5 tiebreak) win over Clement and Joe Vargas.
Youngdahl said the Wildcats are working on being more consistent in the lower spots on their ladder.
The Wildcats were scheduled to play host to Staunton yesterday and will play host to district rival East Rockingham today, Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. for their final home match of the regular season. Before the match, at 4:15, the Wildcats will honor their four seniors: Clement, Faulds, Nic Vargas and Sam Ballstaedt. RC will continue district action on Friday at Harrisonburg before concluding the regular season next Wednesday, May 14, at Rocktown, with both matches scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
TA 5, RC 4
SINGLES – Nic Vargas (RC) d. Tucker Bowman (TA) 8-1; Nic Faulds (RC) d. Brandon Puffenbarger (TA) 8-5; John Kello (TA) d. Gardner Clement (RC) 8-5; Henry Riner (TA) d. Joe Vargas (RC) 8-3; Andrew Clark (TA) d. Jaxon Johnson (RC) 8-5; Francis Kasten (TA) d. Sam Ballstaedt (RC) 8-2.
DOUBLES – N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) d. Bowman and Puffenbarger (TA) 8-0; Clement and J. Vargas (RC) d. Kello and Riner (TA) 8-3; Clark and Kasten (TA) d. Johnson and Ballstaedt (RC) 9-7.
RC 7, Broadway 2
SINGLES – N. Vargas (RC) d. Tanner Fulk (B) 8-0; Faulds (RC) d. Sam Post (B) 8-4; Clement (RC) d. Harold Nguemele (B) 8-3; J. Vargas (RC) d. Braden Burkhalter (B) 8-4; Johnson (RC) d. Aaron Manetta (B); Jacob Driver (B) d. Ballstaedt (RC) 8-5.
DOUBLES – N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) d. Fulk and Post (B) 8-3; Clement and J. Vargas (RC) d. Nguemele and Manetta (B) 8-0; Burkhalter and Bradee Crider (B) d. Johnson and Ballstaedt (RC) 8-3.
Spotswood 8, RC 1
SINGLES – Nate Lees (S) d. N. Vargas (RC) 8-5; Faulds (RC) d. Ryland Wade (S) 8-2; Drew Wiley (S) d. Clement (RC) 8-2; Jackson Graves (S) d. J. Vargas (RC 8-4; Cam Langridge (S) d. Johnson (RC) 8-3; Ben Macgill (S) d. Theo Matini (RC) 8-3.
DOUBLES – Lees and Wade (S) d. N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) 9-7; Wiley and Graves (S) d. Clement and J. Vargas (RC) 9-8 (7-5 tiebreak); Parker Langridge and Reece Gardner (S) d. Martini and Ballstaedt (RC) 8-2.
