RC Netmen Narrowly Lose Twice

Showing improvement in the second week of the season, the Rockbridge County High School boys tennis team lost two matches 5-4 at home, falling to Lord Botetourt last Wednesday and to Staunton on Thursday.

“They were both good matches,” said RC head coach Rebekah Butler. “I was proud of how my players improved, especially in their doubles matches against Staunton.”

When the teams met in the season opener on March 16 at Staunton (3-1), the Wildcats (0-3) suffered a 9-0 loss, but the scores were close in several matches. In the rematch, the Wildcats won all three doubles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, RC’s Nic Faulds and Ben Barney won 8-4. Matthew Feldman and Malcolm Kosmas earned a 9-7 win at No. 2, and Eli Fox and Barrett Kosmas earned an 8-4 victory at No. 3. Fox also picked up an 8-3 win at No. 5 singles.

Against LB, Fox and Barrett Kosmas won 8-4 at No. 3 doubles. RC’s singles winners were Barney (No. 4), Fox (No. 5) and Harrison Tanner (No. 6).

The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Stuarts Draft on Monday before traveling to Broadway yesterday, and they’ll play host to Stuarts Draft on Friday at the Lexington Country Club courts. After spring break next week, the Wildcats will play at Harrisonburg on Tuesday, April 11, at 4:30 p.m. Both matches are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

LB 5, RC 4

SINGLES – Tyler Meade (LB) d. Nic Faulds (RC) 8-0; Jackson Wolfe (LB) d. Matthew Feldman (RC) 8-3; Ridge Radtke (LB) d. Malcolm Kosmas (RC) 8-4; Ben Barney (RC) d. Chase Dozier (LB) 8-6; Eli Fox (RC) d. Tyler McCarren (LB) 9-7; Harrison Tanner (RC) d. Xavier Shelton (LB) 9-7.

DOUBLES – Meade and Wolfe (LB) d. Faulds and Barney (RC) 8-3; Radtke and Dozier (LB) d. Feldman and Malcolm Kosmas (RC) 8-3; Fox and Barrett Kosmas (RC) d. Shelton and Hunter Duncan (LB) 8-4.

Staunton 5, RC 4

SINGLES – Tucker Terry (S) d. Faulds (RC) 8-6; Laurel Shelton (S) d. Feldman (RC) 8-2; Mac Carr (S) d. Malcolm Kosmas (RC) 8-2; Spencer Blackwell (S) d. Barney (RC) 8-5; Fox (RC) d. Lain Strickland (S) 8-3; John Elam (S) d. Tanner (RC) 8-2.

DOUBLES – Faulds and Barney (RC) d. Terry and Alton Harris (S); Feldman and Malcolm Kosmas (RC) d. Carr and Elias Hardy (S) 9-7; Fox and Barrett Kosmas (RC) d. Carr and Ben Cason (S) 8-4.