Staff report

SALISBURY — Salisbury’s Senior Night “Battle of the Sexes” provided more excitement than a month’s worth of conference matches.

Maybe a year’s worth.

Salisbury’s boys tennis team, which has won 12 of the last 13 Central Carolina Conference championships, served as a Senior Night exhibition opponent for the Salisbury girls, who recently finished off their 21st CCC championship in a row.

It was more competitive than you might think, Salisbury’s girls have some quick athletes.

The boys won 6-3.

“It was a lot of fun,” Salisbury girls coach Roarke Burton said. “It was extremely close, so close that it easily was the longest match of the year for the girls. Everywhere except No. 6 singles,  it was really even.”

Katelyn Duran, who has been a pleasant surprise for the Hornets this year is normally listed at No. 8, but she stepped in at 6.

The feature match at No. 1 singles was between Millie Wymbs and Gray Davis. Both are multi-sport athletes who are reigning Rowan County and CCC Players of the Year.

Wymbs is a fine sprinter as well as a tennis player and she’s a year older, so it was expected to be a thriller, and it was.  Davis finally prevailed, but it went to a tiebreaker.

Davis’ younger brother, Bryant, also won in a tiebreaker. He edged Meredith Williams at No. 4 singles.

Also dropping close singles matches for the girls were Cora Wymbs, Millie’s younger sister, at No. 3, and Addie Griffith at No. 5.

The lone singles win for the girls came at No. 2 where Lucy Barr topped Reid Hlavacek.

Millie Wymbs and Williams wanted revenge for their close losses in singles and got it. They teamed up to win at No. 1 doubles against the Davis brothers.

Griffith and Lola Koontz teamed to win at No. 3 doubles against Sawyer Burton and Ben Lawson.

Hlavacek and AJ Jarrell, a freshman who is expected to shine for the boys program this spring, won against Barr and Cora Wymbs in a close match at No. 2 doubles.

“It was a great experience for both teams,” Coach Burton said. “The girls are disappointed they lost and they definitely want a rematch. It just wasn’t their night, but I believe if they played our boys 10 times, the girls would win five. It’s that close.”

Salisbury’s girls will return to playing against girls on Tuesday in the CCC tournament. The tourney will be played at Lexington.