SECOND ROUND ACE

May 14, 2008 10:42 am

— The Tarboro Vikings tennis team set two monumental records in grand fashion by defeating South Columbus Stallions 6-0, Tuesday at Tabor City in the second round of the state playoffs.
The victory marked the first time in the school history that a Vikings tennis team won 20 games and the first time that a Vikings’ tennis team advanced past the second round.
Coach Billy Strother, who coaches both girls and boys tennis for the Vikings, was ecstatic about the victory.
“We played our best tennis of the year,” Strother said. “We were focus on this match and it pushed us to a high level. The last two years we lost in the second round.
The Vikings (20-3) bottom three seeds Rob Sykes, Alejandro Ruiz and Will Leland dominated their matches by holding their opponents scoreless. Tarboro No. 1 seed Chris Vick played the toughest match of the contest. In the first set he overcame Lucas Ford 6-4. The second set was much easier for Vick as he cruised to a 6-2 victory to win the match.
Tarboro advanced to the second round by defeating East Duplin 6-3 and will travel to First Flight on Tuesday for the third round. First Flight, who is currently ranked third in the N.C. High School Tennis Coaches Association, has been rank above the Vikings all season. The two teams met during a preseason match up where First Flight prevailed 6-3.
“We’ve improved since then and I know that they have as well,” Strother said. “It should be a very interesting match.”

Singles
1. Chris Vick d. Lucas Ford 6-4, 6-2; 2. Silverio Santiago d. Canyon Gore 6-1, 6-2; 3. Jacob Pearce d. Cameron Burroughs 6-1, 6-2; 4. Rob Sykes d. Shaun Benton 6-0, 6-0; 5. Alejandro Ruiz d. Todd Barnhill 6-0, 6-0; 6. Will Leland d. Evan Williford 6-0, 6-0










re a young team and I’m very proud of our accomplishments this season. I don’t know how long its been since we’ve been in the playoffs but it fair to say that its been a long time.
We’re a young team. Five of our starters are 10th graders so we will bounce back. This gives us the experience that we needed. Next year we will be better.”

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