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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Davie’s girls tennis team crushed Forbush, 8-1, in the season opener because of course it did. The War Eagles are coming off a 14-1 season, they own a 15-match winning streak in the regular season and most of the 2021 squad is back for Collin Ferebee’s sixth season as coach.

The nonconference match was held at Davie on Aug. 16.

The five winners in singles were No. 1 Elliot Newsome (6-1, 6-1), No. 2 Karlie Quinn (6-3, 7-5), No. 3 Tru Koren (6-4, 6-1), No. 5 Leslie Newsom (6-2, 6-1) and No. 6 Bailey Aderhold (6-4, 6-3). Sweeping doubles were Quinn/Koren (8-4), Newsome/Newsom (8-2) and Sarah West Marklin/Aderhold (8-3).

Quinn, who played No. 1 as a freshman and sophomore but missed virtually all of 2021 with an injury, came in with 20 career wins in singles. Newsome (13-2 at Nos. 1-2 as a freshman), Koren (9-8 at Nos. 2-3 as a sophomore), Marklin (11-4 at No. 4 as a junior) and Newsom (10-0 at No. 6 as a junior) were the backbone of the 2021 success.

“The best match from beginning to end was probably Leslie’s,” Ferebee said. “She had some slow starts last year, but she just took care of business today. I didn’t have to worry about her at all.”

The eye-opener against the Falcons was Aderhold, a freshman who handled a senior in singles and teamed up with Marklin in doubles.

“That was a pretty good start to her high school career,” Ferebee said. “I think she’s going to be a great two-sporter for Davie (including basketball).”

Last year the War Eagles ran the table in the Central Piedmont Conference (12-0), giving them four regular-season championships in six years, three of which have come on Ferebee’s watch. The only loss was a 5-4 decision against Grimsley in the first round of the playoffs.

Reynolds, Reagan and West Forsyth tied for second at 8-4.

The War Eagles will try to repeat like they did from 2016-18. During that span, they captured the regular-season and tournament titles each year.

“I think everyone knows we have work to do,” he said. “Reagan and Reynolds are always going to reload. They’re never going to stay down very long. With us returning Elliot, Karlie, Tru, Sarah and Leslie, I think you’ve got to say that we’re going to be near the top. I can’t say we’re going to repeat as champions, but I think we’ll be competitive in every match.”

The roster includes seniors Newsom, Grace Jacobs, Marklin, Katelyn Cohen and Quinn; juniors Gabby Thompson, Olivia Swisher, Ali Cranfill, Brooklyn Lakey and Koren; sophomores Abigail Etter, Jasmine Brickey and Newsome; and freshmen Camryn Bullard, Victoria McFarlin, Casey Cao, Ada Wallace and Aderhold.