THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Conway High School Athletics

The Class 2A State Tennis Tournament opened with a bang Monday as each member of Parkers Chapel’s boys team advanced to the semifinals. The most noise was made by senior Trojan Wesley Shew, who stunned the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Conway Christian’s David Belvardi, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of boys singles. Top-seeded Kade Cushing of PC, also advanced to the singles semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Haas Hall’s Carlos Rosas. “It wasn’t the best day for my game but it was a win. So, that was good,” said Cushing. “Everyone else had a good day. All the boys won.” Cushing will play Conway Christian’s Winston Strawn in one semifinal. Strawn beat Colby Lawrence of Crowley’s Ridge 6-0, 6-1 and Nathaniel Day of Ridgefield Christian 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Shew opened the tournament with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Josh Stewart of Crowley’s Ridge before upsetting Belvardi, who had a first-round bye. “I didn’t really know how he played. I hadn’t got to see him, yet, because he had a bye in the first round. I came in confident because I felt like my seeding was a little bad,” Shew said. “I got to hitting around with him some and I liked my chances. I mean, he was a good player. He was a very good player. But, I went in and I guess I did what needed to be done.” “It was probably the best match of the day,” said Cushing. “They both played very well. It was higher level than high school tennis. They were both on their ‘A’ game.” Shew agreed. “I can say I definitely played well. I played at the top of my ability.” Shew will meet Haas Hall’s Eddie Hunter in the other semifinal. Hunter topped Shirley’s Josh Wood 6-1, 6-0 and Hampton’s Kaleb Belin 6-1, 6-0. It could be an old fashioned Trojan war in the state finals. Both of PC’s players are hoping for that, anyway. “The key tomorrow is to try to fix what wasn’t going right today and play strong and try to win it all,” said Cushing, last year’s 2A state singles runner-up. Shew isn’t just satisfied with the upset victory. “I would like to win this tournament,” he said. “I plan on going all the way.” Parkers Chapel’s top-seeded doubles tandem of Grant Brumley and Trace Blaylock advanced to the semifinal with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Ridgefield Christian’s Eli Stracener and Jesse Walton. Brumley and Blaylock will meet the duo of Randon Carlton and Robbie Schmidt from Greers Ferry. Carlton and Schmidt beat Griffin Hogue and Clayton Lenderman of Crowley’s Ridge 6-2, 6-3 and Murfreesboro’s team of Dalton Cherry and Mason Alexander 6-3, 6-3. The Trojans’ other doubles team, Austin Fruge and Michael Brotherton, advanced past Mulberry’s Adam Hoyle and Rick Reeves 6-0, 6-0 and Shirley’s Ben Gordon and Luke Lucas 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. Fruge and Brotherton will play the tandem of Nick Herlevic and Javan Childress of Haas Hall. Herlevic and Childress topped Conway Christian’s Zach Ward and Jake DeBusk 7-5, 6-3 and Ridgefield Christian’s Alex Burnett and John Scholtens 7-5, 6-4. After Monday’s hot start, the Trojans have set themselves up for an opportunity to claim the team trophy. “We like our odds, right now,” said Shew. “All the boys made it to the semifinals so we like our odds and feel like we could definitely pull it off.” On the girls side, PC’s Allison Rogers and Bailey Norwood, the defending 2A girls doubles champions, advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Shirley’s Angelica Aykan and Kaitlin Gibbons. Rogers and Norwood will face Haas Hall’s Nicole Evans and Alex Cantey in today’s semifinal. Evans and Cantey advanced past Earle’s Azaryia Logan and Tearra Clark 6-2, 6-1 and Hampton’s Emily Harrell and Shelby Belin 6-1, 6-1. After a comfortable win, the Lady Trojans feel good about their chances today. “We’re most definitely playing better than we played last year because our chemistry is better,” Norwood said. “We have to be well rested and come out with our mind-set right. We just have to come in ready and not thinking anything negative.” The other doubles semifinal will feature Conway Christian’s Macey Vaught and Makenna Vaught, who beat Ridgefield Christian’s 6-0, 6-0 and Haas Hall sisters Ali and Priya Wingood 6-1, 6-3. The Vaught sisters will take on Camilley Wagner and Kate Hodgson of Northwest Arkansas Classical. Wagner and Hodgson beat Alissa Allen and Kameron Johnson of West Side Greers Ferry 6-0, 6-0 and Hampton’s Savannah Means and Gracie Patterson 6-1, 6-7 (7-3), 6-1. In girls singles, top-seeded Maddison Jones of Hampton downed Katherine Huff of Conway Christian 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semifinal. “I could’ve played better,” said Jones. “I had some issues here and there but I fought through.” Jones will meet Haas Hall’s Kristyn Tappana, who had a forfeit win before beating Ridgefield Christian’s Lauren Imrie 6-0, 6-0.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Conway High School Athletics

TROJANS ADVANCE AT 2A STATE

TONY BURNS

El Dorado News | 11/18/2016

PHOTO CREDIT: El Dorado News