Pioneers go 2-1

over weekend
From staff reports

Watauga’s boys’ tennis team went 2-1 during the R.J. Reynolds Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Watauga opened the event with a 5-4 loss to Providence Friday, but recovered to beat Crest 9-0 and New Hanover 6-3.

Watauga’s No. 1 singles player Steve Lake won all three of his matches, beginning with an 8-1 win over Providence’s Derek Buchanan. He followed with an 8-0 win over garret Hastings and an 8-4 victory over David Leder of New Hanover. Michael Smith, Watauga’s No. 3 seed, provided an 8-0 win over New Hanover’s Spencer Wison and No. 4 seeded Brian Geldmeier beat New Hanover’s David Cox by the same score.

Davis Roberts gave Watauga another singles victory against New Hanover at No. 6 singles with an 8-5 win over Eric Leder.

Watauga needed two victories in doubles to beat the Wildcats and got them in the number two and three seeds. Kevin Ashline teamed with Geldmeier to win at No. 2 doubles 8-1 and Roberts teamed with Preston Stigall to win 8-5 at No. 3 doubles.

Knocking off Crest proved to be a bit easier. Geldmeier and Stigall won their matches 8-0, and Ashline and Smith won 8-1. Roberts won his match 8-3.

Winning Friday against Providence looked promising when Lake, Smith and Geldmeier all posted singles victories. Lake also teamed with Smith to win their doubles match 8-1.

Providence 5, Watauga 4
Friday’s match
Singles
Steve Lake (W) d. Derek Buchanan, 8-1
Will Goldberg (P) d. Kevin Ashline, 8-3
Michael Smith (W) d. Trevor Skibbins, 8-1
Brian Geldmeier (W) d. Andrew Fishkins, 8-3
Jared Stier (P) d. Preston Stigall, 8-4
John Kruska (P) d. Davis Roberts, 8-3
Doubles
Lake/Smith (W) d. Buchanan/Skibbins, 8-1
Goldberg/Fishkins (P) d. Ashline/Geldmeier, 8-3
Stier/Kruska (P) d. Stigall/Roberts, 9-8

Watauga 9, Crest 0
Saturday’s match
Singles
Steve Lake (W) d. Garrett Hastings, 8-0
Kevin Ashline (W) d. Dan Goodman, 8-1
Michael Smith (W) d. Ethan Oliver, 8-1
Brian Geldmeier (W) d. J. Hodges, 8-0
Preston Stigall (W) d. J. Bankhead 8-0
Davis Roberts (W) d. Brock Jones 8-3
Doubles
Lake/Smith (W) d. Hastings/Oliver 8-4
Ashline/Geldmeier (W) d. Goodman/Jones 8-2
Stigall/Roberts(W) d. Hodges/Bankhead 8-4

Watauga 6, New Hanover 3
Singles
Saturday’s match
Steve Lake (W) d. David Leder, 8-4
Sam Kohl (NH) def Kevin Ashline, 8-0
Michael Smith (W) d. Sp. Wison, 8-0
Brian Geldmeier (W) d. David Cox 8-0
Tucker Whitesides (NH) d. Preston Stigall, 8-4
Davis Roberts(W) d. Eric Leder, 8-5
Doubles
D.Leder/Kohl (NH) d. Lake/Smith, 8-2
Ashline/Geldmeier(W) d. Cox/E.Leder, 8-1
Stigall/Roberts(W) d. Wilson/Whitesides, 8-5

WHS golf
Watauga’s boys’ golf team had three tournaments last week, beginning Monday in Taylorsville, continuing Tuesday in Lenoir and ending with a tournament in Hickory.

Watauga placed sixth in its weekly Northwestern 4-A Conference match held at Brushy Mountain Golf Club in Taylorsville. Ben Beason (90), Spencer Hodges (90), Brandon Reynolds (91) and Trey McNeil (92) were the low scorers for the Pioneers in the 18-hole tournament.

The team golfed at the Lenoir course in a tournament hosted by Hibriten. Garrett Shore shot a 43, while Robert Warren had a 44. Hodges shot a 45 and Beason fired a nine-hole round of 46.

On Thursday, at the Catawba Country Club, Beason fired a 41, while McNeil had a 44. Hodges and Warren each shot a 45 in Watauga’s fifth-place finish.