SALISBURY ó Joy Loeblein and Katelyn Storey donned camofoluge hats Monday during their prospective singles and doubles matches against Bunker Hill.
As if they and the rest of the Salisbury girls tennis team wouldnít be noticed.
It wasnít costume banter for Halloween, but a display of how a business-like Salisbury team can have a little fun while still winning. They won again in a 9-0 triumph against Bunker Hill in the third round of the state playoffs.
ěMy sophomore year it was a joke on the team and we all purchased camfuloge hats,î Loeblein said. ěWe werenít supposed to wear them in matches and then we bought Coach Myers one and we could start wearing them.î
The Hornets and their costume hijinx will travel to Shelby Wednesday for the regional round of the dual team playoffs. The much-anticipated matchup against the Golden Lions will be for a trip to the state title match Saturday in Burlington. If the Hornets make it, theyíll be playing for their fourth straight state crown.
ěIíve played their No.1 before and lost,î Loeblein said. ěItís going to be competitive.î
Senior Caroline Graham stepped in for Madeline Hoskins, who was with the golf team in Southern Pines playing for the state golf championship. Graham moved to 18-0 this season in a 6-2, 6-0 defeat of Le Xiong.
ěSheís done a great job for us all year,î Myers said. ěOur biggest strength is the depth, whether youíre talking about our No. 1 player or our No. 9 player.î
Loeblein was a 6-0, 6-1 winner against Crystal Thao
Loeblein/Nelson, Storey/Graham and Meyerhoeffer/Drye all won doubles matches.
Loeblein and Nelson won the state doubles championship Saturday in Cary after placing second in 2010. Storey was the runner up in individuals for the second straight year.
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Bunker Hill finished third in the Catawba Valley Conference
ěTheyíre the best team Iíve seen,î said Bunker Hill coach Doug Watters of Salisbury. ěTop to bottom, I havenít seen anybody that could beat them.î