LAKE NORMAN’S MCKEE PLAYS HIS WAY INTO 3-A SINGLES SEMIFINALS

BURLINGTON— Trey McKee of Lake Norman played brilliantly on Friday to score a couple of upset victories and advance to Saturday morning’s singles semifinals in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A men’s tennis tournament championships at the Burlington Tennis Center.

McKee, the number four player from the West region, knocked off East champ Blake Vail of Pikeville Charles B. Aycock in a marathon three-setter that lasted better than three and a half hours. Then McKee ousted Sun Valley’s Charles Wolbers, the Midwest Region runner-up, in a Friday afternoon quarterfinal. McKee will face Luke Synn of Hickory, the West regional champion, in the semifinals Saturday morning at nine o’clock

Jacob Wright of Asheville T.C.Roberson will battle Charlotte Catholic’s Daniel Tobben in the other singles semifinal. Tobben advanced when Lake Norman’s Andrew McKinnon had to retire down 3-0 in the decisive third set in another grueling match.

Three of the four regional champions marched into Saturday’s semifinals, each winning their matches in straight sets. Saturday’s matchups will send West champions Luke Gillis and Tripp Hawkins of Statesville against the Midwest number two pair from Charlotte Catholic, Michael Huber and David Anderson, while Mideast champions Adam Blaser and Ross Powell of Burlington Williams will tangle with Southeast Guilford’s Travis Sandman and Evan Hurley, tops from the Midwest Region.

Wendy’s and the Carolina Ford Dealers are presenting sponsors of the NCHSAA sports program.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCATION

2008 STATE 3-A MEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Burlington Tennis Center

Friday’s Results

Singles—First Round

Trey McKee (Lake Norman) def. Blake Vail (Pikeville C.B Aycock) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(2); Charles Wolbers (Monroe Sun Valley) def. Patrick Sonnleitner (Southern Lee) 4-6, 6-0, 6-4; Luke Synn (Hickory) def. Martin Wdowiak (Wilson Beddingfield) 6-0, 6-7 (6), 6-0; Jason Hull (Western Guilford) def. Andrew Treske (Waxhaw Marvin Ridge)6-2, 6-1; Andrew Baird (Waxhaw Marvin Ridge) def. Gregory Patterson (Western Alamance) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Jacob Wright (Asheville T.C. Roberson) def. Michael Barnes (Southern Nash) 6-1, 6-3; Daniel Tobben (Charlotte Catholic) def. Pete Conaty (Southern Lee)7-5, 6-1; Andrew McKinnon (Lake Norman) def. Drew Jackson (Eastern Wayne) 6-1, 6-1.

Singles—Quarterfinals

McKee (Lake Norman) def. Wolbers (Sun Valley) 6-1, 6-3; Synn (Hickory) def. Hull (Western Guilford) 6-1, 6-0; Wright (T.C. Roberson) def. Baird (Marvin Ridge) 6-0, 6-2; Tobben (Charlotte Catholic) def. McKinnon (Lake Norman) 1-6, 6-4, 3-0 retired).

Singles—Semifinals, Saturday 9 am

Trey McKee (Lake Norman) vs. Luke Synn (Hickory)

Jacob Wright (Asheville T.C. Roberson) vs. Daniel Tobben (Charlotte Catholic)

Doubles—First Round

Joe Wimmer-Whit Hutton (Hickory) def. Alex Durham-Travis Kirkpatrick (Rocky Mount) 6-3, 6-2; Michael Huber-David Anderson (Charlotte Catholic) def. Brandon Reid-Patrick Lewis (Western Guilford) 6-2, 6-1; Luke Gillis-Tripp Hawkins (Statesville) def. Ben Evans-Dylan Quinn (Pikeville C.B. Aycock) 6-0, 6-0; Sean Huber-Michael Klochany (Charlotte Catholic) def. Jared Bryant-Rajiv Dinakaran (Western Alamance) 6-4, 6-3; Adam Blaser-Ross Powell (Burlington Williams) def. Adam Beam-Brandon Burchfield (Concord) 7-6 (2), 6-0; Brandon Rouse-Ross Wilson (Gastonia Forestview) def. Addison Westbrook-Blake Cooper (Pikeville C.B. Aycock) 6-3, 6-1; Travis Sandman-Evan Hurley (Southeast Guilford) def. Chris Sparks-Brendan Byers (Western Alamance)6-0, 6-1; Brooks Frederick-Brandon Hoge (Asheville T.C. Roberson) def. Nicolas Finet-Kyle Ramsey (Southern Nash) 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles—Quarterfinals

M. Huber-Anderson (Charlotte Catholic) def. Wimmer-Hutton (Hickory) 6-2, 6-4; Gillis-Hawkins (Statesville) def. S. Huber-Klochany (Charlotte Catholic) 6-1, 6-0; Blaser-Powell (Williams) def. Rouse-Wilson (Forestview) 6-2, 6-3; Sandman-Hurley (Southeast Guilford) def. Frederick-Hoge (T.C. Roberson) 7-5, 6-1.

Doubles—Semifinals, Saturday 9 am

Michael Huber-David Anderson (Charlotte Catholic) vs. Luke Gillis-Tripp Hawkins (Statesville)

Adam Blaser-Ross Powell (Burlington Williams) vs. Travis Sandman-Evan Hurley (Southeast Guilford)