The Uwharrie Charter Academy doubles team of Joseph Phetmixay and Drew Auman ended up as state runner-up in Class 1-A boys’ tennis at Cary Tennis Park.
Phetmixay and Auman won two matches before they were denied in the final.
The Bishop McGuinness pairing of Luca Pestana and Timothy Hackman captured the title by winning 6-1, 6-4. For the Villains, it was the fourth time the school has produced a doubles state champion pair, though the first since 2014.
A day earlier, the Phetmixay-Auman tandem defeated Voyager Academy’s Jacob McKenna and Simon Osceanas by 6-0, 6-0 and then claimed the semifinal with a 6-2, 6-4 decision against Elkin’s Luke McComb and Clay Sebastian.
In Class 2-A, Wheatmore singles entry Jagur Williams lost in the first round by 6-4, 6-1 to Brevard’s Porter Schrader.
Softball
Providence Grove holds the top seed in the West Region for the Class 2-A state playoffs.
The Patriots had an undefeated regular season and then won two games to capture the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament last week.
As the No. 1 regional seed, there’s the possibility of home games Friday, next Tuesday, May 20 and for some of the best-of-3 regional final should the Patriots advance. The first-round game was set for Tuesday against Patton.
Southwestern Randolph, Randleman and Wheatmore were also in the Class 2-A bracket, while Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy were entered in Class 1-A. Eastern Randolph held the No. 5 seed, so multiple home games could be in order for the Wildcats.
Providence Grove won last week’s PAC Tournament behind strong pitching from Emma Mazzarone.
She had 12 strikeouts in an 11-1 semifinal victory against UCA. She also homered and drove in four runs.
In the final, Mazzarone struck out 18 batters in a 1-0 triumph against visiting Southwestern Randolph. That was part of a two hitter and she hit one batter with a pitch.
Edi Austin provided the offense with a home run to begin the bottom of the first inning. She had two of the Patriots’ four hits.
That outcome pushed Providence Grove’s record to 21-0.
Macie Crutchfield took the loss despite striking out eight. Caressa King had both Southwestern Randolph hits.
The Cougars reached the tournament final by upending third-seeded Eastern Randolph 10-0 behind Crutchfield’s three-hitter that included nine strikeouts. Carleigh Whitson drove in three runs and Maddie Varner and King both knocked in two runs.
