PREP TENNIS: Indians escape Giants to advance

In Fort Defiance, the Fort Defiance girls tennis team narrowly escaped Waynesboro 5-4 on Monday afternoon in the first day of the Southern Valley District tennis team tournament.

Waynesboro kicked things off with Rachel Binda picking up a No. 1 singles win. The Indians and Little Giants split the rest of the singles competition and went into the doubles portion of the match tied at 3.

After falling in the No. 1 doubles, Fort Defiance took the No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the ladder to earn a shot at R.E. Lee tonight for the Southern Valley District title.

Lee defeated Stuarts Draft on Monday as well, picking up the win 5-4 in another match that went down to the doubles event. No scores were available from the Stuarts Draft and R.E. Lee match.

Singles

R. Binda (W) def. A. Mackenzie, 6-2,7-6

K. Pleskonko (FD) def. E. Crowder, 6-0, 6-2

J. Dudley (W) def. M. Skidmore, 6-4, 6-3

T. Dewitt (W) def. P. Harris, 6-1, 6-2

T. Martin (FD) def. C. Owens, 6-1, 6-2

J. Cook (FD) def. S. Merriken, 6-4, 6-2

Doubles:

Binda/Crowder (W) def. Mackenzie/Skidmore, 6-4, 6-3

Renis/Pleskonko (FD) def. Dudley/Dewitt, 6-3, 6-3

Martin/J. Showalter (FD) def. Owens/Merriken, 6-2, 6-2

In other tennis action:

Boys

* R.E. Lee 5, Waynesboro 1

In Staunton, the Leemen only allowed Matthew Jenny to steal a win on Monday during the Southern Valley District tournament. Lee’s Will Sowers, Michael Smiley, Jacob Rice and James Copeland all earned sweeps in their matches. Waynesboro’s Patrick Owens took Lee’s Wilson White to a third set, but fell 7-5.

Lee will continue its quest for a Southern Valley championship tonight, facing the winner of the Rockbirdge and Fort Defiance match. The doubles matches were suspended after R.E. Lee clinched the win in singles.

Singles

W. Sowers (L) def. Jake Kappes, 6-2, 6-1

M. Jenny (W) def. Jan Haeupke, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5

W. White (L) def. P. Owens, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5

M. Smiley (L) def. Z. Showalter, 6-1, 6-4

J. Rice (L) def. C. Lotts, 6-1, 6-0

J. Copeland (L) def. J. Driskill 6-3, 6-1

* Wilson 9, Buffalo Gap 0

The Green Hornets swept the Bison on Monday afternoon while losing only nine total sets for the match.

Singles.

Gruber (W) def. M. Harris, 8-3

Cale (W) def. B. Boward, 8-0

Banks (W) def. C. Ott, 8-3

Kiracofe (W) def. L. Parker, 8-0

Reeves (W) def. J. Phuong, 8-2

Gilmer (W) def. A. Sams, 8-0

Doubles

Gruber/Cale (W) def. H. Parker, 8-0

Banks/Kiracofe (W) def. Boward/Ott, 8-1

Reeves/Gilmer (W) def. Phuong/Sams, 8-0

Girls

* Wilson 9, Buffalo Gap 0

Wilson finished its third straight undefeated season in the Shenandoah District. This year every win was a sweep. Wilson’s next match will be in the regional semifinals on May 23. The district singles tournament starts today with Christine Coffield holding the top seed at 6-0. The district doubles tournament is on Wednesday with the doubles team of Coffield and Jamie Stark from Wilson holding the top spot at 6-0.

Singles

C. Coffield (W) def. R. Coon, 9-8(7-3)

H. Shields (W) def. M. Benner, 8-0

J. Stark (W) def. C. Deaver, 8-1

A. Gorby (W) def. T. Pileski, 8-1

K. Guy (W) def. D. Gilmer, 8-0

K. Hock (W) def. C. Bell, 8-0

Doubles

Coffield/Stark (W) def. Coon/ Benner, 8-1

Shields/H. Squier def. Deaver/Pileski, 8-1

Gorby/J. Arbogast (W) def. Bell/ Rodeffer, 8-2