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In a week of three Valley District home matches, the Rockbridge County High School boys tennis team earned a 6-3 win over Turner Ashby last Wednesday but suffered 5-4 losses to Broadway last Tuesday and to Harrisonburg last Thursday.
With the win over TA (7-6 overall, 2-4 district), the Wildcats (3-9, 2-5) ended a six-match losing streak and avenged a 5-4 road loss to the Knights just five days earlier.
The rematch was senior day for the Wildcats. After RC seniors Matthew Feldman and Ben Barney were honored before the match, they won both their singles and doubles matches, with Feldman winning at the top singles spot and Barney winning at No. 3. Also earning singles victories for the Wildcats were sophomore Nic Faulds at No. 2 and freshman Harrison Tanner at No. 5.
Against Broadway, the Wildcats were missing six players, including four who regularly play matches, due to sickness and commitments. RC had won 9-0 at Broadway (4-10, 1-6) on March 28, but being shorthanded hurt last Tuesday.
“Broadway was a heartbreaker, but I’m glad we beat TA,” said RC head coach Rebekah Butler.
With its 5-4 win on Thursday, Harrisonburg (7-3, 5-1) completed a sweep of the regularseason series with the Wildcats. When the two teams met on April 11 at Harrisonburg, the Blue Streaks won 7-2.
Earning singles wins for RC were sophomore Eli Fox at No. 5 and Tanner at No. 6, and the Wildcats won at No. 2 and 3 doubles.
The Wildcats will conclude the regular season with a road match against district rival Spotswood on Friday at 4:30 p.m. before the Valley District tournament begins next Tuesday at TA, with the schedule to be determined.
Broadway 5, RC 4
SINGLES – Matthew Feldman (RC) d. Tanner Fulk (B) 8-2; Marshal Good (B) d. Ben Barney (RC) 9-8 (7-6); DJ Oscar (B) d. Eli Fox (RC) 8-6; Harrison Tanner (RC) d. Jason Kang (B) 8-1; Bradee Crider (B) d. Jacob Peart (RC) 8-3; Samuel Post (B) d. Ronald Berry (RC) 8-1.
DOUBLES – Feldman and Tanner (RC) d. Fulk and Good (B) 8-5; Barney and Fox (RC) d. Oscar and Kang (B) 8-4; Crider and Post (B) d. Peart and Berry (RC) 8-0.
RC 6, TA 3
SINGLES – Feldman (RC) d. Levi Waidelich (TA) 9-7; Nic Faulds (RC) d. Carter Alley (TA) 8-1; Barney (RC) d. Caleb Landes (TA) 8-0; Brandon Puffenbarger (TA) d. Fox (RC) 8-0; Tanner (RC) d. Mason Nesselrodt (TA) 8-3; Tucker Bowman (TA) d. Barrett Kosmas (RC) 8-6.
DOUBLES – Faulds and Barney (RC) d. Waidelich and Alley (TA) 8-3; Feldman and Tanner (RC) d. Landes and Nesselrodt (TA) 8-2; Puffenbarger and Bowman (TA) d. Fox and Kosmas (RC) 8-3.
HHS 5, RC 4
SINGLES – Corey Beshoar (H) d. Feldman (RC) 8-0; Julien Steins (H) d. Faulds (RC) 8-3; Owen Tompkins (H) d. Malcolm Kosmas (RC) 8-1; Louie Gibson (H) d. Barney (RC) 8-4; Fox (RC) d. Felix Young (H) 8-4; Tanner (RC) d. Randell Joven (H) 8-3.
DOUBLES – Beshoar and Steins (H) d. Feldman and Malcolm Kosmas (RC) 8-2; Faulds and Barney (RC) d. Tompkins and Gibson (H) 8-4; Fox and Barrett Kosmas (RC) d. Young and Joven (H) 8-2.
