Staff Reports

Starmount’s Corey Campbell and Elkin’s Tyler Macy finished second in singles in their respective regional tennis tournaments over the weekend.

Campbell cruised into the championship round of the 2A Midwest Regional with straight-sets victories over Zach Boggs of West Davidson (6-0, 6-2), Lewis Young of Salisbury (6-4, 6-0) and Shaquerz Skinner of Berry Academy (6-1, 6-0).

In Saturday’s championship match, Campbell pushed Salisbury’s Steven Page to three sets before falling. Both players were undefeated going into the showdown.

Campbell lost the first set 6-4, won the second 6-4 and then dropped the third 6-1. Starmount coach Ryan Norman said Campbell suffered a cramp in his thigh right at the beginning of the third set and had a hard time overcoming the injury on a hot Saturday.

“It affected his movement and stayed tight the rest of the set,” Norman said. “It really affected his movement and shot-making abilities. It was just an unfortunate occurrence, especially considering that he still had the momentum after winning the second set.”

Macy won twice Friday in the opening rounds of the 1A Midwest Regional at East Montgomery in Biscoe. His third-round opponent forfeited due to injury.

Macy, whose only singles losses this season had come against Starmount’s Campbell, dropped a three-set battle with Mount Airy’s Nick John in the singles final.

John, a senior, is the defending 1A state champion in singles. Macy is a freshman but gave John all he could handle in stretches.

“Nick controlled the first set but in the second set Tyler played smarter and stayed within his game,” Elkin coach Tony Duncan said. “John being a senior, just that experience showed at the end.”

Campbell and Macy are the only area Tribune players to advance to the individual state tournament this weekend. Both will go as No. 2 seeds. The tournament starts Friday morning at the Cary Tennis Center.

It’s possible Macy and John could meet again in Cary. It’s guaranteed the two will collide on Tuesday afternoon, as Elkin and Mount Airy square off in the second round of the 1A dual-team playoffs.

The Elks vs. Granite Bears showdown will start at 4 p.m. in the Granite City. Macy and John play No. 1 singles for their respective schools.


Track and Field

Notable performances abounded for Elkin, Starmount and East Wilkes athletes at Midwest Regional track meets held Saturday.

Starmount’s boys finished third in the 2A Midwest Regional, held in Waxhaw.

Antonio McClelland earned gold in three events (long jump, triple jump and hurdles) and placed third in the high jump. He qualified for this weekend’s 2A state meet in all four events.

McClelland is relatively new to hurdles. He was region champ in all three jumps a year ago.

“(On Saturday) Antonio beat one of the top-ranked hurdlers in the state (Colby Mabe of South Stokes),” Starmount coach Kristi Gaddis said. “He ran against him at an invitational earlier this year and lost by two seconds. His time in the hurdles (40.15) and his triple jump (47-5.5) set new school records.”

Starmount senior Aaron Combs left the field behind in his favorite event, the 800 meters.

Garrett Johnson set new personal bests to qualify for state in the triple jump (2nd place) and long jump (4th). The Rams dominated in the triple jump, with Christian Hurt taking fourth.

Other Starmount boys to make the state field included Hector Jemenez (pole vault, 3rd in the region) and M.J. Bryant (shot put, 4th).

Starmount senior Savannah Daye rebounded after some early misses to win the girls pole vault. She cleared the bar at 8-0.

In the 1A Midwest Regional, East Wilkes junior Carol Blankenship swept gold in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Her sister, Carrie Blankenship, was third in the 800.

Carol Blankenship, who ran the anchor leg in 2008 and 2009 for East Wilkes’ state champion 4x800 relay teams, will be a favorite to win both individual distance events this time around.

Teammate Destiny Walker placed third in the shot put, while East’s Jaclyn Grit earned a second straight state berth in the 100 hurdles, placing fourth.

Elkin’s 4x800 boys relay team chugged to a region title despite one of its regular runners being sick.

Pat Kennedy filled in and ran a solid leg even though he had never competed in anything over a 400. Zach Millsaps, Cody Brown and Aaron Rabin comprised the rest of the team.

Rabin, a state champion wrestler, helped Elkin make up a lot of ground in the anchor leg, eventually overtaking the leaders from Bishop McGuinness.

“Aaron took the baton behind by about 40 yards,” coach Scott Wood said. “He steadily reeled in Bishop’s fourth leg. I’ve said it before and have to again, that kid has the most heart of any kid I’ve coached.

“Ray’s performance ranks right there with his best.”

Millsaps earned a state berth in the indivivdual 1,600, placing fourth.

Samantha Dimmette and Tyler Billings of Elkin both qualified for state in the throws. Dimmette won the discus and was second in the shot. Billings placed second in the shot and fourth in the discus.

Freshman Madison Durham earned a spot in the state meet for the Lady Elks, placing fourth in both the 800 and 1,600 meters.


On deck: softball

Starmount, Forbush and East Wilkes will host games tonight in the opening round of the Mountain Valley 1A/2A tournament.

Top-seeded Forbush will entertain North Wilkes at 6 p.m. Starmount will welcome Alleghany at 5 p.m. East Wilkes will host Wilkes Central at 6. The other match-up will pit Ashe County at West Wilkes.

Tonight’s winners will play at Alleghany on Wednesday night in the semifinals. The Starmount/Alleghany winner will face the West Wilkes/Ashe County winner at 4:30 p.m. The Forbush/North Wilkes winner will play the East Wilkes/Wilkes Central winner at 6:30 p.m.

The championship game will be Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Alleghany.


Bracketology: soccer, baseball

As of late Sunday night, the N.C. High School Athletic Association had not yet released brackets for the girls soccer and baseball playoffs.

Soccer games are set to start Tuesdsay and Wednesday. Baseball is scheduled to begin Friday.

Elkin’s girls soccer team knows it will be at home for the first round, most likely Wednesday night. Starmount’s girls are hoping for a wildcard berth into the 2A bracket.

Elkin, Starmount, Surry Central and East Wilkes all will make the playoffs in baseball.