BULLDOGS IN RACE FOR CONFERENCE TENNIS TITLE

FAYETTEVILLE -- History is in the midst of repeating itself at the 7A-West Conference boys tennis tournament. Five-time defending champion Bentonville, Fayetteville and Rogers High are in a three-way tie in the team race with six points heading into today's deciding matches. "If you stop and look at it over the years, Fayetteville, Rogers and Bentonville have been fighting each other for a decade now," Bentonville coach Nick Nersesian said. "It's always those three. It doesn't matter if it's boys or girls. It's just balanced. You have such a good balance of players, staffs and energy. And these kids like it. This is what it's all about." Bentonville has a conference-best total of three singles players and doubles groups in the semifinals. Rogers and Fayetteville both have two. Rogers' Michael Zheng, the top-seeded singles player, cruised to the semifinals, while the Mounties' fourth-seeded doubles tandem of Adam Breach and Moss Mathews also advanced to the semis. Zheng was impressive in advancing to the semifinals. He beat Fort Smith Southside's Alec Ulmschneider 6-0, 6-0 and then topped Southside's John Magness 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals. "We just need to make sure we take care of business in our singles and our No. 1 doubles team," Rogers coach Mike Harper said. "Bentonville has more people in the semifinals right now. We'll have to have some help, I think. ... If Michael wins, that gives us a fighting chance. But that's not to put pressure on him. He just needs to be who he is. He's been the best player in the conference all year long. He just needs to continue hitting the ball the way he is now." Rogers got an unexpected boost in doubles play when the 11th-seeded tandem of Stone Swieter and James Johnson knocked off a sixth-seeded Bentonville team in the first round to earn an extra point for the Mounties before losing in the quarterfinals. "They played the best match of their career today," Harper said. "They peaked at the conference tournament, which is what you shoot for." Bentonville's top-seeded doubles team of Ryan Hargrove and Jack Neal won their first-round match 6-0, 6-1 and then beat a Fayetteville team 7-5, 6-1 to advance to the semis. The Tigers' Sriker Chikkala and Jake Keefauver, seeded third and fifth, respectively, also advanced to the semis in singles action. Fayetteville has singles No. 2 seed Will McCombs and the second-seeded doubles duo of junior Hans Corbell and senior Cannon Kern in the semifinals. "You're going to have some great matches (today)," Nersesian said. "It depends on which way the ball bounces sometimes."

BULLDOGS IN RACE FOR CONFERENCE TENNIS TITLE

Photo Credit: Fayetteville Athletics

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