“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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MEN'S TENNIS 2025 WEEK TWO, STATE PLAYOFFS 1-A POLL

  1-Elkin
  2-Eno River Academy
  3-Bishop McGuinness
  4-Mount Airy
  5-Triangle Math and Science
  6-Highland School of Technology
  7-Piedmont Community Charter School
  8-Chatham Charter School
  9-North Carolina School of Science and Math: Morganton
10-Voyager Academy
Others Receiving Votes: East Wilkes, Uwharrie Charter School, Triad Math and Science Academy.

MEN'S TENNIS 2025 WEEK ONE, STATE PLAYOFFS 1-A POLL

  1-Elkin
  2-Bishop McGuiness
  3-Eno River Academy
  4-Highland School of Technology
  5-Mount Airy
  6-North Carolina School of Science and Math: Morganton
  7-Piedmont Community Charter School
  8-Chatham Charter School
  9-East Wilkes
10-Triangle Math and Science
Others Receiving Votes: Triad Math and Science Academy, Voyager Academy, Uwharrie Charter School.

MEN'S TENNIS 2025 WEEK NINE 1-A POLL

  1-Mount Airy
  2-North Carolina School of Science and Math: Morganton
  3-Elkin
  4-Eno River Academy
  5-Uwharrie Charter School
  6-Bishop McGuinness
  7-Piedmont Community Charter School
  8-Highland School of Technology
  9-East Wilkes
10-Triangle Math and Science Academy
Others Receiving Votes: Voyager Academy, Gray Stone Day School.

MEN'S TENNIS 2025 WEEK EIGHT 1-A POLL

  1-Mount Airy
  2-North Carolina School of Science and Math: Morganton
  3-Eno River Academy
  4-Uwharrie Charter School
  5-Bishop McGuinness
  6-Highland School of Technology
  7-Elkin
  8-East Wilkes
  9-Piedmont Community Charter School
10-Gray Stone Day School
Others Receiving Votes: Voyager Academy, Starmount, South Davidson.