Eastern dual-team title changes hands

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 31, 2008 1:46 PM

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Eyes puffy and reddened from tears, Nancy Dawson parked the activity bus one last time in the Eastern Wayne parking lot.

Bright stars illuminated the sidewalk as she walked into the school to hang up the key. Dawson phoned athletics director Robert Peele and couldn't hold back her emotions.

"I've hung it up for the final time," said Dawson.

Dawson's retirement from coaching became official Thursday evening.

State-ranked Wilson Fike earned a critical singles point and handed Eastern Wayne a 6-3 loss in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A eastern regional women's tennis dual-team championship.

The Golden Demons (18-0 overall) claimed their first regional crown since 1994 and first during Lee Matthews' 10-year tenure as head coach. Fike opposes No. 1-ranked T.C. Roberson (21-0) for the state title Saturday at the Burlington Tennis Center.

"This hurts my feelings a little bit because I hate (the win) has to be against Nancy," said Matthews. "She's my buddy."

Eastern Wayne didn't bow or bend during the three-plus hour affair in chilly temperatures. The Warriors (16-2) took the opening game on five of six courts, and relaxed as the individual matches progressed.

Senior doubles mates Lindsey Frederick and Mollie Musgrave each collected a straight-set singles win. Frederick handed sophomore Mallory Short a 6-1, 6-4 setback, while Musgrave stopped sophomore Meredith Pruden 6-3, 6-3.

Playing in their first regional final since 2001, the Golden Demons triumphed at Nos. 1, 4 and 6 singles. Fifth-seeded Sarah Flinn captured a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 victory over the Warriors' Kelsi Yates. Yates led 3-0 in the second set.

"That was absolutely huge," said Matthews of Flinn. "I told one of my parents that I felt like I reached into the cookie jar and stole all the cookies when we got that one. That was one that Nancy was probably counting in her (win) column.

"Sarah doesn't look like much out there ... small, wiry looking, but she fights with everything that she's got. That was a big win for us and took the pressure off us."

Flinn helped provide Fike's final point at No. 3 doubles. The sophomore, along with senior Katelyn Sugg, turned back the Warriors' Elizabeth Borden-Emily Northington 10-3. Once the match ended, Sugg and Flinn dropped their racquets and hugged each other.

The teams split the remaining doubles matches. Fike's Mary Katherine Prince-Connor Allegood defeated Frederick-Musgrave 10-8. The Warriors' Daniel-Yates knocked off Short-Pruden 10-7.

"We had our chances and it was the tightest match we've played all year," said Dawson. "We took it to them."

Dawson's final three teams compiled a 46-7 record in dual-team play, including a sparkling 28-2 mark against Eastern Carolina Conference opposition. The Warriors won ECC championships in 2007 and 2008, and finished state runner-up to Charlotte Catholic in 2007.

"It's been a great ride with these girls," said Dawson. "I told them when they walk the halls tomorrow (today) at Eastern Wayne, they need to hold their heads up high because they are champions.

"It's been absolutely terrific and I have had the privilege of working with some of the best kids in Wayne County. There's no doubt in my mind."

2008 N.C. High School

Athletic Association Class 3-A

Eastern Championship

(at Fike HS, Wilson)

(3) Wilson Fike 6

(8) Eastern Wayne 3

Singles: No. 1 Mary Katherine Prince (F) d. Danielle Daniel 6-2, 6-2; No. 2 Lindsey Frederick (EW) d. Mallory Short 6-1, 6-4; No. 3 Mollie Musgrave (EW) d. Meredith Pruden 6-3, 6-3; No. 4 Elizabeth Pruden (F) d. Connor Allegood 6-3, 6-1; No. 5 Sarah Flinn (F) d. Kelsi Yates 4-6, 6-4, 10-8; No. 6 Katelyn Suggs (F) d. Miller Delbridge 6-2, 6-2.

Doubles: No. 1 Prince-Allegood (F) d. Frederick-Musgrave 10-8; No. 2 Daniel-Yates (EW) d. Short-Pruden 10-7; No. 3 Flinn-Suggs (F) d. Borden-Emily Northington 10-3.

Records: Wilson Fike 18-0, Eastern Wayne 16-2.