Facing a tough road test in its season opener, the Rockbridge County High School boys tennis team pulled out a 5-4 win over Lord Botetourt last Wednesday.
In the nondistrict contest, the Wildcats won three of six singles matches and claimed two of three doubles matches to seal the victory.
After the Wildcats dropped their singles matches at the No. 1 and 2 spots, RC senior Gardner Clement earned a 6-4, 6-4 win over Chase Dozier at No. 3. Junior teammate Jaxon Johnson then beat Tyler McCarren. After McCarren won the first set 6-4, Johnson claimed the second set 6-2. In the third-set tiebreak, Johnson won 10-4.
At No. 5 singles, RC freshman Joe Vargas made a strong debut by defeating Michael Yamatani 6-2, 6-3. At No. 3 doubles, Vargas teamed up with junior German exchange student Theo Martini to earn an 8-5 win over Yamatani and Payten Arnold. “We’re really happy that Joe Vargas won at No. 5 singles and No. 3 doubles,” said RC head coach Scott Youngdahl.
Martini also played hard at No. 6 singles, but he lost 6-4, 7-6 (7-4 tiebreak) to Ryan Dominisac.
At No. 1 doubles, RC seniors Nic Vargas and Nic Faulds, the Valley District doubles champions last year, came up short, 9-7, to LB’s Ethan Steryous and Davis Kidd. However, Clement and Johnson teamed up at No. 2 doubles to beat Dozier and McCarren 8-5.
The Wildcats have a healthy mix of experience and youth. They return four players from last year – Faulds, Clement, Johnson and Nic Vargas, their No. 1 player and the Valley District singles runner-up last year – and have added eight new players.
Last year, the Wildcats went 10-7 overall and 5-5 in the Valley District, ending the team portion of their season with a 6-0 loss to Liberty Christian Academy in the Region 3C quarterfinals. They graduated just one player, Jacob Peart.
Youngdahl, who is in his second year as RC’s head coach, is optimistic about the season, with a lot of young talent to go along with the experience.
Joining Nic Vargas and cocaptains Faulds and Clement in the senior class is Sam Ballstaedt, a basketball player who decided to join basketball teammates Clement and Johnson on the tennis team. “He’s in good shape, has good hands, and learns fast,” said Youngdahl.
Johnson is the Wildcats’ lone returning junior, and he’s joined by three juniors who are new to the team: Martini, Tyler Watson and exchange student Peyton Chaoyong.
Adding depth to the roster are four freshmen: Joe Vargas, Elliott Allen, Jacob Barney and exchange student Rachit Yakkanti.
Jacob Barney, son of returning assistant coach Brian Barney, is coming off an impressive swimming season and is “a natural athlete,” said Youngdahl.
Allen broke his foot during a sledding accident this winter, but he’s started playing some doubles in practice, and Youngdahl is hopeful he’ll see some match action soon.
The Wildcats were scheduled to start Valley District action at home against Broadway on Monday. After a two-week break in competition, they’ll continue district action at home at the Lexington Country Club courts against Spotswood on Tuesday, April 8. The following two matches will also be at home, with a rematch against Lord Botetourt on Wednesday, April 9, and a district contest against Harrisonburg on Tuesday, April 15. All three matches are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
RC 5, LB 4
SINGLES – Ethan Steryous (LB) d. Nic Vargas (RC) 6-1, 6-0; Davis Kidd (LB) d. Nic Faulds (RC) 6-1, 6-4; Gardner Clement (RC) d. Chase Dozier (LB) 6-4, 6-4; Jaxon Johnson (RC) d. Tyler McCarren (LB) 4-6, 6-2, 10-4 third-set tiebreak; Joe Vargas (RC) d. Michael Yamatani (LB) 6-3, 6-2; Ryan Dominisac (LB) d. Theo Martini (RC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4 tiebreak).
DOUBLES – Steryous and Kidd (LB) d. N. Vargas and Faulds (RC) 9-7; Clement and Johnson (RC) d. Dozier and McCarren (LB) 8-6; J. Vargas and Martini (RC) d. Yamatani and Payten Arnold (LB) 8-5.
