Waccamaw tennis opens season with win
By Chris Sokoloski
csokoloski@gtowntimes.com
MURRELLS INLET -- Waccamaw High School's boys tennis team opened the season with a 6-1 win over St. James on Tuesday.
Paul Hendrix lost 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles; Matt Fischer won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2; Jaz Greene won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3; Robert Jones won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4; Alex Czechner won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 5; Joey Hewes and Ben Hewes won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 doubles; and James Lee and Mitchell Saum won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
The Warriors played without Harrison Richmond, who will be the No. 1 singles player this season. Richmond was named a National High School Tennis All-American last season as a junior and singed with the University of Virginia in November.
Hendrix, a new edition to the team, is the top ranked 12-year-old tennis player in the state.
"He's in line with the other guys we've had in the past on that level," Waccamaw coach James Brown said.
According to Brown, it's time for the younger players to step up.
"There's a lot of pressure on those guys because the last few years they've been carried by the older guys," he said. "But this year those guys have to step up and do something."
Last season Waccamaw finished 14-4, winning its 12th straight region title, beating Academic Magnet 6-0 in the Lower State final, and losing 4-3 to Christ Church of Greenville in the state final.
Waccamaw won four straight state titles from 2007-2010, but had to forfeit the last one when the South Carolina High School league ruled on of the Warriors players ineligible.
"We're looking to make another run to the state championship and if we continue to improve we have a shot," Brown said.
Waccamaw's 2012 schedule is: March 13, hosting St James; March 14, hosting Mullins (DH); March 19, at Dillon; March 22, hosting Myrtle Beach; March 26, at Marion (DH); April 2, hosting Aynor; April 4, hosting Christian Academy; April 5, at Myrtle Beach; April 18, hosting Christian Academy; April 19, at Byram Hills in Greenwich, Ct.; April 20, at Brunswick School in New York City; April 21, at Horace Mann in New York City.
Matches start at 4:30 p.m. Home matches are played at Wachesaw Plantation.
The playoffs start May 3. The Lower State finals are May 10 and the state finals are May 12 in Sumter.