Tennis -- Spring Creek slips by North Lenoir

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 18, 2004 1:56 PM

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SNOW HILL -- A freshman and two experienced upperclassmen provided the much-needed punch as Spring Creek outslugged North Lenoir 5-4 in a Classes 1-A/2-A Carolina/Eastern Plains tennis match Wednesday afternoon.

The absence of third-seeded Ricky Galloway forced Gators coach Robert Jones to bump his lineup and move Justin Smith, a freshman, into the No. 6 slot. Smith responded with a 6-1, 7-6 (3) singles win against the Hawks' Levin Jones.

"Without Ricky, I knew it would be a tough match," Jones said. "I knew the number six match was going to be pivotal and it was. Justin pulled a muscle in his back in the second set, and gutted it out.

"I was really proud of his effort."

Siblings Cliff and Grey Wilson, the No. 1 doubles, squeezed out an 8-6 decision against North Lenoir's Alex Mills-Jared O'dell. That gave the Gators the necessary point to close out the match.

The two Wilsons, along with Will Daniel, each prevailed in singles action. Grey Wilson bounced back to defeat O'dell 4-6, 6-1, 10-3. Daniel played a shaky first set against Paul Eubanks before triumphing 7-5, 6-2.

"Their top five are fairly solid and there's not a lot of difference in them," Jones said. "They played very well and we did good to pull out the match at number one doubles."

North Lenoir's Eubanks-Billy Kirk and Ryan Ipock-Gerry Floyd claimed wins at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles, respectively.

Spring Creek (4-0, 3-0 C/EPC) travels to Tarboro today.

Spring Creek 5, North Lenoir 4

Singles -- No. 1 Cliff Wilson (SC) d. Alex Mills 6-2, 6-3; No. 2 Grey Wilson (SC) d. Jared O'dell 4-6, 6-1, 10-3; No. 3 Will Daniel (SC) d. Paul Eubanks 7-5, 6-2; No. 4 Billy Kirk (NL) d. Jonathan Sutton 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Gerry Floyd (NL) d. Daniel Watson 6-3, 6-0; No. 6 Justin Smith (SC) d. Levin Jones 6-1, 7-6 (3).

Doubles -- No. 1 C. Wilson-G. Wilson (SC) d. Mills-O'dell 8-6; No. 2 Eubanks-Kirk (NL) d. Daniel-Smith 8-6; No. 3 Floyd-Ryan Ipock (NL) d. Brandon Strickland-Frederick Ellis 8-2.