Share
BURLINGTON Myers Park's talent and depth led to its first N.C. 4A girls' dual team tennis championship.
The Mustangs beat East Chapel Hill 5-1 at the Burlington Tennis Center on Saturday to cap an 18-0 season. Myers Park had lost its previous four trips to the final, but Saturday's match was decided in singles play, so the three doubles matches weren't necessary.
“I think the key was our depth,” Myers Park coach Ed Flynn said. “We were able to pull out some matches at the bottom of the ladder. When you can do that, it takes the pressure off everybody.”
Myers Park's Grace Baker, the N.C. 4A singles champion, won at No. 1 singles, a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Megan Huang in a rematch of the singles final. Emily Carpenter won at No. 3 singles in a tiebreaker, and Anna Rickenbaker won at No. 4. Debolina Banerjee, a starter, was sick and didn't play. Flynn plugged in Olivia Turnbull and Jessica Perez, who won at No. 5 and 6 singles to clinch the championship.
“Grace had beaten (Huang) last week, and had confidence, which set the pace,” Flynn said. “We had some close matches, and Anna Rickenbaker's win was gut-wrenching.”
East Chapel Hill (21-2) was runner-up for the second straight year. Myers Park eliminated Greensboro Page, the four-time reigning champion, in the semifinals on Thursday.
“I've been preaching all season that it takes five (victories to win a match),” Flynn said. “I think until we beat Page, and got into a match that we had to win 5-4, it hadn't sunk in.”
Salisbury (23-1) won its fifth state title 5-1 against Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons, sweeping the first five singles matches.
Cross country
North Mecklenburg senior Kimberly Spano won her third straight N.C. 4A championship convincingly, as her time of 18 minutes, 42 seconds was more than 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Carolyn Baskir (East Chapel Hill) at Clemmons' Tanglewood Park on Saturday.
Taylor Gilland (Northwest Guilford) won a third straight 4A boys' title with a time of 15:50.68. Raleigh Broughton won its fourth straight boys' 4A championship.
Olympic's Ken yetta Iyevbele, a junior, won the 3A girls' championship in 19:06.86, edging Skyland Roberson's Marie Mauher (19:10.51) and Laura Hoer (19:16.09).
Mooresville won its third straight 3A title. The Blue Devils' 69 points were 14 ahead of runner-up Nash Central. Mooresville was led by Josh Cox (16:33.35), Graham Sledge (16:34.50) and Joseph Newman (16:40.79).
Olympic's Steven Bollinger, a regional champion, ran 16:10.60 and finished second in the 3A boys' race to Asheville's John Harwell (15:57.36).
Volleyball
North Iredell, led by senior outside hitter Molly Rhyne, swept Greenville Conley 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 to win the N.C. 3A championship in Raleigh. . The Raiders (26-0) didn't lose a set this season. Rhyne had eight kills, 10 digs and two blocks, helping North Iredell to its first volleyball title.
Cross Country
2008 NCHSAA State Championships
BOYS 4A: 1. Taylor Gilland, Chapel Hill HS, 15:50.68; 2. Seth Crawford, Northwest Guilford, 15:56.93; 3. Mohamed Abushouk, Cary HS, 15:58.56; 4. Reidy Jones, Broughton, 16:02.99; 5. Dakota Peachee, West Johnston, 16:03.66; 6. Charles Wofford, Hoggard, 16:08.02; 7. Blake Askin, Broughton, 16:08.28; 8. Doug Black, Green Hope HS, 16:15.62; 9. Jared Neely, Mount Tabor, 16:17.19; 10. Eric Peffer, Northwest Guilford, 16:19.53; 11. Trey Geiger, Mid Creek HS, 16:20.68; 12. Kenny Hinman, South View, 16:21.58; 13. Grant Marley, Enloe High School, 16:22.51; 14. Jordan Locklear, Jack Britt, 16:22.97; 15. Kyle Villemain, Chapel Hill HS, 16:25.27.
BOYS 3A: 1. John Harwell, Asheville, 15:57.36; 2. Steven Bollinger, Olympic, 16:10.60; 3. Jake Huyrsz, Eastern Alamance, 16:17.01; 4. Austin Jones, Ronald W. Reagan, 16:20.19; 5. William Bass, NC, 16:23.55; 6. Jack Anderson, Ronald W. Reagan, 16:26.29; 7. Fabian ,White NC, 16:30.34; 8. Josh Cox, Mooresville, 16:33.35; 9. Graham Sledge, Mooresville, 16:34.50; 10. Zack Brantley, NN, 16:39.41; 11. Joseph Newman, Mooresville, 16:40.79; 12. Chris Colo, Marvin Ridge, 16:44.89; 13. Isaac Presson, Asheville, 16:45.59; 14. Michael Colven, Marvin Ridge, 16:46.40; 15. Larry Scaggs, A.L. Brown, 16:46.84.
BOYS 2A: 1. Daniel Yeakley, West Stanley, 16:21.27; 2. Ben Sterett, Swansboro, 16:38.89; 3. Cesar Reyes, West Caldwell, 17:00.31; 4. Joey Murphy, Owen, 17:04.64; 5. Chase Miller, Wilkes Central, 17:09.34; 6. Mark Sullivan, Cardinal Gibbons, 17:15.58; 7. Sean Magee, Cardinal Gibbons, 17:19.37; 8. Nick Wilson, Owen, 17:20.47; 9. Spencer Sharrits, West Henderson, 17:23.10; 10. Joseph Burris, West Stanley, 17:28.23; 11. Trey Clayton, Orange, 17:33.84; 12. Andrew Smith, West Stanley, 17:34.29; 13. Dylan Skinner, Orange, 17:37.24; 14. Alex Kraak, Owen, 17:41.05; 15. Andrew Craver, Forbush, 17:42.66.
BOYS 1A: 1. Eric Blackburn, East Wilkes, 16:49.76; 2. John Spencer Wolfe, Polk County, 16:57.50; 3. Tyler Breedlove, Hayesville, 17:20.48; 4. Dalton Wally, Gray Stone Day, 17:22.98; 5. Thomas O'Connell, Hendersonville, 17:36.24; 6. Matus Kriska, Mt. Airy, 17:37.74; 7. Robert Vinson, Hayesville, 17:38.19; 8. Eric Hill, Raleigh Charter, 17:43.48; 9. Moe Schlechtweg, North Stokes, 17:46.07; 10. JJ Laplante, West Wilkes, 17:50.44; 11. Patrick Sullivan, Gray Stone Day, 17:52.82; 12. Al Gaxiola, Murphy, 17:55.59; 13. Kyle Bulkley, Raleigh Charter, 18:02.25; 14. Carlos Unda, Hendersonville, 18:07.79; 15. Tyler Marcoux, Hayesville, 18:08.62.
GIRLS 4A: 1. Kimberly Spano, North Mecklenburg, 18:04.02; 2. Carolyn Baskir, East Chapel Hill, 18:24.42; 3. Jessica Rossabi, Green Hope HS, 18:54.16; 4. Samantha George, Millbrook HS, 18:58.15; 5. Timmons Williams, Broughton, 19:01.70; 6. Maraya Slatter, West Johnston, 19:06.26; 7. Chelsea Hollingsworth, Northwest Guilfo, 19:06.54; 8. Megan Sullivan, North Mecklenburg, 19:11.70; 9. Cory Catlett, Terry Sanford, 19:16.23; 10. Kristina Kanagy, Watauga, 19:16.66; 11. Jenna Christensen, Cary HS, 19:22.58; 12. Allison Hofmann, Myers Park, 19:24.31; 13. Alexa Gellman, Myers Park, 19:29.40; 14. Talbert Madelin, South Meck, 19:30.26; 15. Caitie Safrit, East Chapel Hill, 19:33.01.
GIRLS 3A: 1. Kenyetta Iyevbele, Olympic, 19:06.86; 2. Marie Mauhar, Roberson, 19:10.51; 3. Laura Hoer, Roberson, 19:16.09; 4. Lucy Love, Marvin Ridge, 19:23.22; 5. Sophia Treakle, Asheville, 19:30.19; 6. Megan McLeod, Tuscola, 19:37.28; 7. Jenny Gallagher, Lake Norman, 19:42.71; 8. Ganna Bowen, Western Guilford, 19:44.75; 9. Ryanna Henderson, JAC, 19:46.60; 10. Teal McLean, Hickory Ridge, 19:47.05; 11. Sarah Hope, Roberson, 19:49.86; 12. Alexa Van Epern, Lake Norman, 19:56.51; 13. Jamie Vezolles, Charlotte Catholic, 19:58.51; 14. Hannah Parnell, Glenn, 20:07.60; 15. Zoe Dubin, Roberson, 20:10.40.
GIRLS 2A: 1. Sarah Rapp, Cardinal Gibbons, 19:30.36; 2. Mackenzie Robinson, Orange, 19:54.84; 3. Emily Wirzba, Orange, 19:57.28; 4. Halsey Merritt, Cardinal Gibbons, 20:04.13; 5. Catie Byrd, N Henderson, 20:09.39; 6. Morgan Turner, Lincolnton High, 20:11.96; 7. Kristina Witcher, Carrboro High Sc, 20:19.51; 8. Laura Hamon, Carrboro, 20:26.91; 9. Kathryn Dispennette, Northwood, 20:38.79; 10. Molly Baker, Cardinal Gibbons, 20:47.81; 11. Cynthia Griffin, Madison, 20:53.36; 12. Kiersten Ellsworth, West Henderson, 21:04.86; 13. Ashley Kale, Bandys, 21:08.00; 14. Reanna Hawkins, Cardinal Gibbons, 21:09.41; 15. Gracie Turner, Lincolnton, 21:11.44.
GIRLS 1A: 1. Faith Trammell, Robbinsville, 19:58.77; 2. Kristen Stout, Hendersonville, 20:01.73; 3. Carol Blankenship, East Wilkes, 20:07.56; 4. Meredith Bennett, Bishop McGuinnes, 20:20.98; 5. Cissy Nitz, Bishop McGuinnes, 20:23.76; 6. Hunter Latimer, Gray Stone Day, 20:30.10; 7. Zatha Loewen, Topsail, 20:36.57; 8. Mackenzie Neighbors, Raleigh Charter, 20:49.82; 9. Tacey Trammell, Robbinsville, 20:54.30; 10. Mary Chesnut Smith, Avery, 20:54.57; 11. Anna Hayes, East Wilkes, 21:04.08; 12. Maggie Mills, Hayesville, 21:13.56; 13. Kaitlyn Mosteller, West Wilkes, 21:24.14; 14. Katie Pellitteri, Bishop McGuinnes, 21:27.56; 15. Frances Dougherty, NC School of Science 21:31.76.
Tennis
State Championships
At Burlington Tennis Center
Today's Games:
1A: Raleigh Charter (18-3) vs. East Wilkes (20-0), 9 am; 2A: Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons (19-4) vs. Salisbury (22-1), 9 am; 3A: Wilson Fike (18-0) vs. Asheville T.C. Roberson (21-0), noon;
4A
MYERS PARK 5, EAST CHAPEL HILL 1
SINGLES–Grace Baker (MP) d. Jennifer Huang 6-2, 6-3; Megan Huang (ECH) d. Kelsey Sherck 3-6, 6-3, (12-10); Emily Carpenter (MP) d. Tamara Hill 3-6, 6-3, (10-6); Anna Rickenbaker (MP) d. Tessa Johnson 6-2, 6-4; Olivia Turnbull (MP) d. Tegan Flynn 6-3, 6-1; Jessica Perez (MP) d. Jasmine Sun 6-3, 6-2.
Volleyball
State Championships
At Reynolds Coliseum
N.C State University
Today's Games:
4A: Greenville J. H. Rose (26-1) vs. Winston-Salem Mount Tabor (28-0), 5; 3A: Greenville D.H. Conley (25-2) vs. North Iredell (25-0), 2:30; 2A: Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons (29-0) vs. West Henderson (25-0), noon; 1A: Pender (22-3) vs. Swain County (29-1), 7:30.
