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- Written by: Wayne NMN Giese
NCSSM-Morganton Women’s Tennis 24
The second season in the Western Highlands 1A/2A is looking very promising. Although we lose almost two weeks of no practice before school starts the Lady Dragons have come on to the courts with good enthusiasm and high goals. We have a core of our top 3 as seniors as well as our number 6. They are joined by two juniors at line 4 and 5 who are making waves with their play. We have depth, but it always depends on who is actually going to show up for the competition (academics, etc. first and foremost). We are led by Manya Nallagangu from Cary, who was the runner up in the state singles last fall. We also have the dbls. team of Will Levine, Asheville and Ananya Sriram, Concord who made it to the states last year. We have at least 3 ladies vying for the number 6 position. We had several top 4-5 current seniors that opted to focus on their academics and mentorships this year.
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- Written by: Wayne NMN Giese
“This season we’ve grown a lot together,” Monzavifar said. “I think we both fit each other’s strengths. I might not have the biggest serve, but he has one. And then I might not have the best forehand, but he does. So we’re able to complement each other where he can take forehand side, I can take backhand side.”
And all of this – without a loss – in the Western Highlands 1A/2A Conference champion Dragons’ first year as a program? The season ended on a 16-1 roll.
“I think as a first-year program, it’s super exciting to even make it this deep in dual-team,” Monzavifar said. “But we’re here to win it.”
“They just pull together and help each other out,” NCSSM-Morganton coach Wayne Giese added. “They’re really good at coaching each other. They can see when one of their teammates is not doing something and they’ll help correct him. It’s just team, team, team.”
“At the end of the day, if my strokes break down first, I’m losing the point,” Monzavifar said. “I got pulled wide and I’d just slice it back to him over and over again. And the more I grind and make him hit, the more likely I am to win the point. That was the entire match.”
For Giese, 76, this playoff run has been extra special. It’s the longest one he’s led a team on as a head tennis coach spanning all five current county high school programs and dating back to the 1990s.
“This has been the highlight,” he said. “I’ve had to pay my dues I guess through the years and all, but this is the highlight. These guys are on a different level. Their dedication, their skill, it all comes together, and it’s great to watch. It’s a little nerve-racking in matches like this where you don’t know for sure what’s going to become of it. But we’re there. And we’re going to keep on going as long as we can.”
NCSSM-M also on May 10 had three athletes compete at the NCHSAA 1A individual state championships at Cary Tennis Park. It was the largest number of state qualifiers from any Burke County tennis program – joining the Lady Dragons’ three from this past fall – since at least 2009.
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- Written by: Sharon Surles
We are almost halfway through this tennis season and South Central High School remains undefeated in the Big Carolina 3A/4A Conference. We now have sole possession of first place and stand 6-0 in conference play.
The Falcons have managed not one, but two wins over county rival JH Rose High School, snapping a 10-year drought against the Rampants, while also handing them their first regular season loss(es) in 4 years!
The Falcons are led by freshman Shaw Akula, who has been able to hold down the 1 court all season long. So far the Falcons have defeated JH Rose 5-4, New Bern 8-1, DH Conley 8-1, Northside 9-0, Havelock 9-0, and Rose 5-4.
Next week is a big week for South Central, as they will play at Jacksonville in a double-header, New Bern, and DH Conley.
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- Written by: Sharon Surles
South Central Falcon tennis has gotten off to an exciting start this year. After losing 3 seniors and 1 junior to Smith and Stearns Tennis Academy last year, we have three dynamic freshmen stepping into our top 6 line up.
We have lost one non-conference match to Greene Central 5-4, without our number 1 player and Greene Central without their number 2 player, still giving a very competitive match. We are currently tied 2-2 with Rose in our first matchup of the year and had to postpone the match due to lighting issues at our school. We will continue this match on April 2nd at Rose High. Both teams are dynamic and bring a lot of talent onto the court.
We look forward to growing together this season on and off the courts, keep an eye out on Big Carolina South Central Tennis. Go Falcons!