A.C. Flora’s James Smyth hits a running forehand volley in his No. 1 singles match against West Florence’s JR Dawkins.
Photo by Mike Maddock
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For the third time this season, the A.C. Flora Falcons downed the West Florence Knights, but this time much more was on the line. The Knights traveled to Falcon Drive for a second round Class 4A playoff match Thursday, April 25, and the Falcons eliminated them winning 4-2 after a hard-fought, sometimes contentious match.
“The old cliché says it’s hard to beat a team three times, and their lineup was more or less the same—as was ours—but we predicted those matches that were close were going to be close,” said A.C. Flora head coach Amy Martin. “They’re a nice group of young men, well coached by a really good friend. Could have gone either way.”
A.C. Flora got on the board first as William Beasley downed West Florence No. 4 Franklin Emerson 6-2, 6-2 and Vijay Sinha beat West Florence No. 5 Noah Matthews 6-1, 6-0.
The Knights fought back as Hewitt Dawkins was able to get by A.C. Flora No. 2 Jude Smyth in a tight 6-4, 6-4 battle cutting the West Florence deficit to 2-1. However, while singles matches at No. 1 and 3 were still going on, the Falcons’ No. 2 doubles team of Will Trumpeter and Tripp Van Vlake made quick work of Matthew Brasington and Tate Cannon winning 6-0, 6-0 in about 45 minutes.
A.C. Flora’s William Beasley rips a forehand in his No. 4 singles match against West Florence’s Franklin Emerson.
Photo by Mike Maddock
Meanwhile at No. 1 singles, West Florence’s JR Dawkins, who was seemingly on the verge of getting run off the court a couple of times, kept fighting back against James Smyth. Smyth took a 5-2 lead in the first set, but Dawkins won the next three games to tie it at 5-5. Smyth regrouped to win his serve and then clinched the set at 7-5 when he chipped a forehand that Dawkins could not get back. A similar scenario played out in the second set as Smyth cruised to a 4-1 lead, but once again Dawkins came storming back. He tied the set at 4-4. Smyth took a 5-4 lead, but Dawkins tied the set again at 5-5. However, Smyth regained control winning the next two games to win the match and take the set 7-5. Smyth’s win also clinched A.C. Flora’s victory giving the Falcons a 4-1 lead.
A.C. Flora’s Tripp Van Vlake hits an overhead slam in his No. 2 doubles match with Will Trumpeter against West Florence’s Matthew Brasington and Tate Cannon.
Photo by Mike Maddock
“The boys brought 100 percent, and that’s what it took,” Martin said. “West Florence is a strong 4A school. They’ll be 5A again next year.”
The Falcons’ team win took the steam out of the most contested and contentious match of the day at No. 3 singles featuring A.C. Flora’s Will Hewitt and West Florence’s Tallon Cannon. Hewitt and Cannon battled each other’s line calls and tough shots in a contest that went to a third set 10-point tiebreaker. Cannon fired the opening salvo winning set one 6-4. However, Hewitt came back to take the second set 7-5. By the time they reached the tiebreaker, A.C. Flora had won the match. That didn’t deter Cannon as he raced to a 7-1 lead in the tiebreaker, but Hewitt battled back winning the next four points. Cannon then grabbed an 8-5 advantage, but once again Hewitt fought back tying it at 8-8. Cannon played defensively as Hewitt charged the net on the next two points, but a couple of tough overheads sailed long, and Cannon came away with the 10-8 win.
The Falcons traveled to Mount Pleasant on April 29 for a quarterfinal match against Lucy Beckham and beat the Bengals 5-1. A.C. Flora winners were James Smyth over Max Trett (4-6, 6-2, 10-3), Jude Smyth over Michael Hughes (6-1, 6-4), Will Hewitt over Benson Stein (6-2, 6-1), William Beasley over Cooper Annan (6-2, 6-3), and Vijay Sinha over Jacob Waltz (6-2, 6-3). Lucy Beckham’s doubles team of Ridge Jenkinson and Caleb Davenport beat A.C. Flora’s Will trumpeter and Tripp Van Vlake 7-5, 6-3. The Falcons will stay on the coast as they advance to face Myrtle Beach on May 1 in the 4A Lower State Championship match.
Photo provided by Amy Martin
The Falcons celebrate after their win against Lucy Beckham. (L-r) Back row: Head Coach Amy Martin, Reid Denemark, Will Hewitt, Bennett Daves, Lanier Smith, Miles Goetzman, Jude Smyth, William Beasley, and Asst. Coach Chris Smith; Front row: Henry Melkomian, Vijay Sinha, Will Trumpeter, James Smyth, Harrison Mauldin, and Tripp Van Vlake
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