By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Watauga junior Stryker Ward won the No. 6 singles match vs. Hibriten freshman Zach Wright, 6-3, 6-3, proving to be a decisive point in the Pioneers’ 5-4 conference win over the visiting Panthers.
No. 1 singles player, Steele Nealy, got by Hibriten’s Shane Stevens, 6-3,6-0, while the Pioneers’ No. 2 singles entry, Bryant Carroll bested Ben Waechter, 6-2, 6-1. Later, Watauga’s No. 1 and No. 2 combined to defeat Waechter and Logan Clark in the No. 1 doubles pairing, 8-5.
The tightest singles match saw Watauga freshman Harrison Gantt outlast the Panthers’ junior, Wade Van Horne, 7-5, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8) in a third set tiebreaker.
- No. 1 Singles: WAT Steele Nealy def. HIB Shane Stevens, 6-3, 6-0
- No. 2 Singles: WAT Bryant Carroll def. HIB Ben Waechter, 6-2, 6-1
- No. 3 Singles: HIB Logan Clark def. WAT Jaxson Marsh, 6-4, 6-1
- No. 4 Singles: HIB Ridge Hedrick def. WAT Sullivan Trexler, 7-5, 6-2
- No. 5 Singles: WAT Harrison Gantt def. HIB Wade Van Horne, 7-5, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
- No. 6 Singles: WAT Stryker Ward def. HIB Zach Wright, 6-3, 6-3
- No. 1 Doubles: WAT Nealy/Carroll def. HIB Waechter/Clark, 8-5
- No. 2 Doubles: HIB Hedrick/Wright def. WAT Marsh/Trexler, 9-8 (7-3)
- No. 3 Doubles: HIB Van Horne/Miles Dyer def. WAT Gantt/Oliver Powell, 8-5
Despite Hibriten’s 10-5 overall record, Watauga and South Caldwell are now tied atop the Northwestern Conference standings, both at 7-1, with Hibriten in third place (5-3). South Caldwell faces Ashe County (0-11, 0-7) on April 18, in Hudson, while Watauga hosts Freedom (4-6, 1-6).
