Aycock nets much-needed ECC win on tennis court

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 11, 2013 1:47 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Charles B. Aycock got the doubles point it needed.

And earned a long-awaited victory over a county archrival.

The No. 2 tandem of Chas Hooks-Jackson Yelverton claimed the match-clinching point in a 6-3 triumph over Eastern Wayne on a breezy, hot Wednesday afternoon on the Luke Vail Tennis Courts.

Aycock solidified its hold on second place in Eastern Carolina 3-A play, while Eastern Wayne had its 19-match conference win streak snapped.

"It was a nice win because we have been trying to find doubles combinations all year and I think we discovered the two guys who play well together (on each court)," CBA head coach Luke Vail said.

Hooks-Yelverton toiled through the opening game against the Warriors' Hari Chitilla-Andrew Baker. After a series of advantage points, the Golden Falcons' duo seized control and rolled to the decisive 8-1 victory.

A few feet over, Aycock's No. 3 doubles of Allan Best-Austin Westbrook erased a three-game deficit and turned back Sawyer Thompson-Sam Biggs 9-8 (2). Best-Westbrook won seven of the final eight points in the tiebreaker and secured the Golden Falcons' final point in the 3-hour marathon.

Aycock snapped a three-game skid against Eastern Wayne.

"That was a really great comeback for them," Vail said.

The Golden Falcons (7-5 overall, 5-2 ECC) triumphed on four of the six singles courts. Best, who has fully recovered from an injury, triumphed 6-0, 6-1 against Baker at the No. 4 slot.

Teammates Chas Hooks, Jackson Yelverton and Stanton Head each prevailed in straight-set fashion. Head, the No. 6 seed, battled back from three-game deficits on two occasions to defeat Biggs 7-5, 6-4.

"Number six was the big match," Eastern Wayne head coach Craig Hassell said. "That Head kid played his heart out. He was doubled over ... was hoping maybe Sam could pull it out. (Sam) battled like he has all year long since coming up from JV."

Eastern Wayne senior Chaz Fitzpatrick, the three-time defending eastern regional singles champion, rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Addison Vail at No. 1 singles. Fitzpatrick (8-0) shut out an opponent for the sixth time this season and has lost just two games in 16 sets.

Fellow senior Mitchell Kaspar fell behind 4-3 in the second set, but rallied for a 6-1, 6-4 win against Will Hoff at No. 2 singles.

Fitzpatrick-Kaspar handed Hoff-Vail an 8-2 setback at No. 1 doubles.

"(Today) proved we are much better than we were early in the season," said coach Vail, whose team has won five of its last six matches. "We were very inexperienced in the lineup and lost Allan to an injury for a while and now that everybody is back playing in the position they need to be in, we're a better team.

"I was proud of the team and it gave me a good feeling to see us turn around and play well. It's like any other sport, you want to be playing your best at the end of the season and I think we are."

The Warriors exited 7-2 overall and 7-1 in the ECC.