They've earned a Western North Carolina Babe Ruth state title, and they finished fourth in the Southeast Region Babe Ruth tournament last summer (a step beyond state).
Yet one thing has eluded the team of high school all-stars -- a conference tournament championship.
The Royals finally achieved that goal on Saturday. With a trio of Elkin High stars leading the way, the Royals pounded visiting Central Davidson 10-2.
Elkin kept its undefeated summer record intact, adding the league tournament title to its regular season crown.
"We had lost in the title game the last two years and had been ousted in the first round (the year before that)," Royals coach Gregg Carter said. "We weren't going to be denied this year."
Brian Carter, who plans to play at Surry Community College next season, got the pitching win for the Royals. He threw the first six innings, allowing only one hit and no earned runs with 10 strikeouts. Dillon Wilcox of East Surry then pitched a perfect seventh inning -- striking out the side -- to preserve the victory.
Matt Carter and Kyle Whitman supplied a lot of the Royals' offensive firepower. Matt Carter had a double, a single and three RBIs. Whitman double and singled with two RBIs. Matt Hinson also drove home two runs.
The Royals didn't stop there after beating Central Davidson. The team, now getting ready for this week's 18-year-old WNCBR state tournament, hosted a doubleheader with the visiting Charlotte Mecklenberg as a nightcap.
Elkin won both of those contests as well, 8-5 in the opener and 4-3 in the rematch.
Wilcox pitched five innings for starters, getting the win in game one. He struck out five and allowed one earned run. Travis Myers earned the save, pitching out the remainder of the seven-inning game.
Brian Carter hit a triple and a single before leaving the game in the third inning with cramps. Austin McLamb, a Surry Central standout, had two RBIs as did Hinson, another Elkin High player.
The Royals limped into the third game. Brian Carter was still sidelined because of cramps. Whitman also had to sit because of an injury Starting shortstop Cory White (Surry Central) and Justin McLamb (Surry Central) both had to leave the ballpark to go to work.
But Elkin still had enough in the dugout to pull out the game two win over Charlotte.
Austin McLamb earned a complete game victory, allowing only one earned run. He struck out 12 and gave up just six hits.
Ty and Tanner Hudson, both of Surry Central, had two hits each to lead the Royals offense. McLamb helped his own cause with two more base hits, while Matt Carter (two RBIs) and Hinson (one RBI) continued to generate runs.
"We turned in four great defensive plays with runners in scoring position each time," coach Carter said. "McLamb is like Brian (Carter). He's a battler. Every time you think you have him in trouble, he finds a way to work himself out of it."
The Royals will now take the banner of Surry County All-Stars into the state Babe Ruth tournament, competing in the oldest age group. The tournament will be played at Stoner White Stadium in Greensboro beginning Friday..
The 18-year-old Babe Ruth event features five teams -- Henderson County, Greensboro, Queen City (Charlotte), Clark Griffith and Surry. The tournament is double-elimination, with the champion moving on to the Southeast Region event, which this year is being held in South Hill, Va., from July 24 to Aug. 2.
"I think we will be a hard out in the (state) tourney if we can get everyone there and healthy and stop making a few mental mistakes," coach Carter said. "We have some things a lot of other teams don't. We have excellent hitting throughout the lineup, one through nine without giving the pitcher a break.
"I also think we have the best pitching in the tourney, going seven deep. (Saturday) proved to me that our bench was pretty strong, too, being able to win the last game without four starters on the field."
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