The Rockbridge County High School boys tennis team won two of three matches last week, suffering a 5-4 road loss to Staunton last Tuesday before bouncing back with convincing wins over East Rockingham and Harrisonburg.
In their match against nondistrict rival Staunton (10-4), the Wildcats (11-4) were missing four players due to choir, and the Storm avenged a 6-3 April 23 loss to RC in Lexington.
Back at full strength last Wednesday, the Wildcats earned an 8-1 win over Valley District rival East Rockingham in their final home match of the regular season at the Lexington Country Club courts.
The Wildcats, who would end the week at 8-3 in the district, swept the doubles matches against ER (5-9, 3-7) and won five of six singles matches. Before the match, the Wildcats honored their four seniors: Gardner Clement, Nic Faulds, Nic Vargas and Sam Ballstaedt.
The Wildcats concluded the week with a 7-2 road win over district rival Harrisonburg (4-8, 4-6) on Friday. RC swept the doubles and won four of six singles matches, with both Johnson and Ballstaedt bouncing back from 4-0 deficits in their singles matches to win 8-4. Complete scores were not provided from the team match at Harrisonburg.
Today, Wednesday, the Wildcats will conclude the regular season with a district match at Rocktown at 4:30 p.m. The district singles and doubles tournaments will start next Monday.
Staunton 5, RC 4
SINGLES – Laurel Shelton (S) d. Nic Vargas (RC) 8-6; Nic Faulds (RC) d. Jonah Heishman (S) 8-0; Gardner Clement (RC) d. Sawyer Tuttle (S) 8-1; J. Vargas (RC) d. Garrett Kane (S) 8-3; Brooks Hansen (S) d. Sam Ballstaedt (RC) 8-2; Anthony Renne (S) d. Elliott Allen (RC) 8-0.
DOUBLES – Shelton and Tuttle (S) d. N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) 8-5; Clement and J. Vargas (RC) d. Heishman and Kane (S) 8-3; Rnne and August Schwaner (S) d. Ballstaedt and Allen (RC) 8-0.
RC 8, ER 1
SINGLES – N. Vargas (RC) d. Jackson Secrist (ER) 8-5; Faulds (RC) d. Jesse Life (ER) 8-2; Clement (RC) d. Will Loomis (ER) 8-2; J. Vargas (RC) d. Gavin Perrine (ER) 9-8 (8-6 tiebreak); Jaxon Johnson (RC) d. Cole Simpkins (ER) 8-5; Parker Siever (ER) d. Ballstaedt (RC) 8-2.
DOUBLES – N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) d. Secrist and Life (ER) 8-3; Clement and J. Vargas (RC) d. Loomis and Perrine (ER) 8-3; Johnson and Ballstaedt (RC) d. Simpkins and Siever (ER) 8-4.
ABOVE, RC freshman Joe Vargas makes a forehand volley from the net during his 9-8 (8-6 tiebreak) win at No. 4 singles against East Rockingham’s Gavin Perrine. AT LEFT, Wildcat junior Jaxon Johnson bends down for a forehand volley, on his way to an 8-5 victory at No. 4 singles. (Jonathan Schwab photos)
