Raiders, Red Devils tennis advance in playoffs
Laurens’ Bates Turner at No. 3 singles for the Raiders Thursday against Fountain Inn.
The Laurens boys tennis team continued its historic season Thursday with a 5-1 second-round playoff victory over visiting Fountain Inn.
With the victory, LDHS, which had earlier won its first ever boys tennis region championship, advances to the Upper State semfinals for the first time in playoff history. The Raiders opened the playoffs Tuesday with a 6-0 win over Pickens.
LDHS is to host Daniel Monday. The Lions made it to the Class 3A state finals a year ago.
“We have another home match, and we’re excited,” said LDHS head coach Lynne Todd.
Bates Turner, the Raiders’ No. 3 singles player, said togetherness and confidence will be key going forward for LDHS.
“I have no doubt Daniel is good,” he said. “But I know that we’ll be prepared mentally and physically to play our best.”
The unbeaten Raiders (13-0) defeated the Fury for the third time this season, capturing wins among the top four singles seeds and No. 2 doubles to close out the match.
Corbin Giles, one of two seniors in the Fury’s starting singles lineup against Laurens, picked up the team’s only victory Thursday, defeating Ryland Edwards 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
Laurens 5, Fountain Inn 1
Singles: No. 1 J.P. Field (L) def. Noah Franz 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 Price Turner (L) def. Joseph Siliarto 7-5, 6-0; No. 3 Bates Turner (L) def. Davis Keller 6-0, 6-0; No. 4 Dylan Brink (L) def. Tom Fowler 6-4, 6-4; No. 5 Corbin Giles (FI) def. Ryland Edwards 7-6, 6-2.
Doubles: No. 2 Carson Jenkins and Gibson Partee (L) def. Jackson Manning and Kellett King 6-1, 6-3.
Red Devils roll past St. Joe’s
The Clinton tennis team advanced to the Class 3A/2A/1A state semifinals Thursday with a 4-2 win over visiting St. Joseph’s.
The fourth-seeded Red Devils are to travel to top-seeded and Class 3A Chapman Monday. Chapman defeated Southside Christian.
The SCHSL combined the three smallest classifications in boys tennis this season due to low participation.
Clinton 4, St. Joseph’s 2
Singles: No. 1 Nathan Meade (C) def. Whit Wilkins 6-1, 6-1; No. 2 Edwin Orr (C) def. Jeremiah Adams 6-1, 6-2; No. 3 Matthew King (C) def. Hampton Norwood 6-0, 2-2 (retired-injury); No. 4 Jacob King (C) def. Charlie Walters 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Alexander Millener (SJ) def. Cooper Stinson 7-5, 7-5.
Doubles: No. 2 Bryon Webb and Brodie Miller (SJ) def. Jake Meyerholtz and Malakye Brewer 6-1, 6-1.
