SOUTHERN PINES — Two members of the Richmond Senior High School boys’ tennis team qualified for regionals Tuesday.
The Raiders faced off against Pinecrest High School, two of the three qualifying teams, in the 4A Sandhills Athletic Conference tournament.
Hoke County High School, the SAC’s third 4A program, didn’t participate.
Seniors Jordan Jacobs and Matthew Leggett qualified for the NCHSAA 4A Mideast regional tournament as a doubles tandem.
Jacobs punched his return ticket to the postseason for the first time since his sophomore season, while Leggett earned his first career playoff appearance.
The championship tournament featured two doubles teams from each school, as well as two singles competitors for each team.
Opening the doubles tournament, Jacobs and Leggett faced the Patriots’ Jacob Sumner and Sawyer Dennis. The two Raiders notched a 6-3, 6-3 victory to move to the championship match.
In their showdown with Jack Hage and Preston House, Jacobs and Leggett battled out to a 6-6 tie in the first set. In the tiebreaker, Richmond’s top-seeded duo fell 7-9.
Not going quietly, the two Raiders rallied to win the second set 6-4 and force a decisive third set. Despite a quality effort, Jacobs and Leggett fell short 4-6 to earn second in the conference.
“Jordan and Matt played so well today,” head coach Jessica Covington said. “They are our top doubles team for a reason and have gotten so good this season as doubles partners. They knew what they were up against today and rose to the occasion.
“I’m so proud of them for making regionals as seniors,” she added. “It’s an accomplishment that’s well-deserved. I’m pleased with how everyone played today. Pinecrest is a very good program and facing them only makes us better.”
The Raiders had four other players competing Tuesday. Seniors Gavin Applewhite and Billy West played doubles, while senior Jordan McCormick and sophomore Ben Lutz played singles.
Applewhite and West lost 2-6, 2-6 in the first round of the doubles bracket to Hage and House. McCormick faced Mason Cromartie and fell 0-6, 1-6, and Lutz came up short 0-6, 0-6 to Kenan Van Scoyoc.
Although they played in the conference tournament Tuesday, the Raiders will play another regular season match at home Thursday.
It will be senior night for the five senior players in a doubleheader with Scotland High School. Matches will begin at 4 p.m.
