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School Sports
Aycock's Vail eyes repeat at regional title Something -- or someone -- has to give at this year's N.C. High School Athletic Association boys tennis 3-A East Regional, which begins today at Barton Tennis Complex, weather permitting. Two of the top singles players in The Wilson Daily Times readership area -- Blake Vail of Charles B. Aycock and Southern Nash's Michael Barnes -- are defending regional champions. But Barnes, a senior, earned the 2007 doubles crown with then senior Tyler Harris while Vail won the singles title as a freshman. Vail, the Eastern Carolina Conference champion, will have to defend his crown against a sturdy singles field that includes NEW 6 king Barnes. Drew Jackson of Eastern Wayne lost to Vail in the ECC finals last week while senior Ethan Page of Southern Nash was the NEW 6 runner-up. Then there's Martin Wdowiak of Beddingfield. The Argentine exchange student gave Vail a good match in the ECC semifinals before bowing out. Factor in D.H. Conley's Jeff Holoman, the two-time 3-A champion in the split 3-A/4-A Coastal Conference, and the 16-player field promises to be no cakewalk for Vail. Like singles play, the doubles field has 16 teams with the top four advancing to the state tournament next weekend. Leading the way is NEW 6 champions Alex Durham-Travis Kirkpatrick of Rocky Mount. The duo lost in the regional finals to the Firebirds' Barnes-Harris last year. Hunt's Kyle Duck-Robert Lupton and Southern Nash's Isaac Arnold-Cody Brandt are also in the field. Should rain spoil today's action, Fike head coach and tournament director Lee Matthews has a plan. "If we get anything in (Friday), i'm going to try to get the coaches to let me finsih it on Saturday even if we have to play three rounds," Matthews said, pointing to Monday as his backup plan. But rain is forecast sporadically over the next three to four days and with players from Aycock, Southern Nash and Conley, among others, involved in the 3-A dual-team playoffs Tuesday, the schedule could back up quickly. Matthews said the worst-case scenario would have the finals being played as late as Wednesday. CPIC TOURNEY POSTPONED The 1-A Coastal Plains Independents Conference boys tennis tournament, scheduled for today at Greenfield, has been postponed due to the threat of rain. The CPIC Tournament is set for Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. at Greenfield. The host Knights of head coach Will Cobb are the regular-season champions of the CPIC.
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