CARY – Two-time singles champion William John of Mount Airy moved to within one match of his third straight title in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state 1-A men’s tennis championships at the Cary Tennis Center on Friday.

John won two matches to move into the Saturday morning championship against David Hopkins of Winston-Salem Preparatory. All four of the quarterfinal matches in singles saw the winners win in straight sets at love.

The Mount Airy standout has now made the state 1-A singles finals in each of his four high school seasons. He was the runner-up in ’03.

The Elkin duo of Matthew Wurdeman and Nick Holcomb won a pair of matches to move into the doubles finals against the Siler City Jordan-Matthews team of Jonathan Petty and Jonathan Scheetz. Both finalists survived tough three-set matches in the semifinals to advance.

In the eight previous years of a separate 1-A championship, an Elkin team has been in the doubles finals seven times and the Buckin’ Elks have earned five state crowns, including the last three. On two occasions two Elkin teams have met for the doubles title.

Action is scheduled to get underway Saturday morning at 9 am with the championship matches at the Cary Tennis Center.

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2006 STATE MEN’S 1-A TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cary Tennis Center, Cary

Singles-Quarterfinals

David Hopkins (Winston-Salem Prep) def. Cliff Wilson (Seven Springs Spring Creek) 6-0, 6-0; Jas Schmitt (Raleigh Charter) def. Grant Harrison (West Montgomery) 6-0, 6-0; William John (Mount Airy) def. Fielding Elliot (Williamston) 6-0, 6-0; Tyler Grove (Hendersonville) def. Carter Luhring (Topsail) 6-0, 6-0.

Singles-Semifinals

Hopkins (Winston-Salem Prep) def. Schmitt (Raleigh Charter) 6-2, 7-3; John (Mount Airy) def. Grove (Hendersonville) 6-3, 7-5.

Singles—Championship

David Hopkins (Winston-Salem Prep) vs. William John (Mount Airy)

Doubles-Quarterfinals

Grant Ligon-Mark Hemphill (Raleigh Charter) def. Ryan Niland-Matt Johnson (Mount Airy) 7-6 (5), 6-3; Jonathan Petty-Jonathan Scheetz (Siler City Jordan-Matthews) def. Ty Johnson-Daniel Ellis (Rosewood) 6-1, 6-0; Matthew Wurdeman-Nick Holcomb (Elkin) def. Chris San Miguel-Josh Grant (Hampstead Topsail), 6-4, 6-1; David Murphy-Elliott Johnson (East Wilkes) def. Trent Caldwell-Mark Kimball (Williamston), 6-0, 6-0.

Doubles-Semifinals

Petty-Scheetz (Jordan-Matthews) def. Ligon-Hemphill (Raleigh Charter) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Wurdeman-Holcomb (Elkin) def. Murphy-Johnson (East Wilkes) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3).

Doubles—Championship

Jonathan Petty-Jonathan Scheetz (Siler City Jordan-Matthews) vs. Matthew Wurdeman-Nick Holcomb (Elkin)