Dante Lamphear with a fast serve and giving his opponent difficulty. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
BEULAVILLE — The East Duplin Panthers delivered a commanding performance on their home court Wednesday afternoon, securing an 8-1 victory over the Spring Creek Gators in a varsity boys’ tennis matchup. With strong individual efforts across the lineup, East Duplin controlled much of the action, winning all six singles matches before closing out the day with two victories in doubles play.
From the opening serves, the Panthers demonstrated their depth and consistency, applying pressure on Spring Creek’s lineup. Caleb Simmons led the charge in the No. 1 singles match, overpowering Nate Slye 8-1 with a mix of aggressive groundstrokes and steady play from the baseline. Simmons took early control, forcing errors from Slye while dictating points with precision.
In the No. 2 singles match, Spring Creek’s Alex Hemenway battled East Duplin’s Seth Brown in one of the most competitive matchups of the day. The back-and-forth exchanges featured long rallies as both players showcased patience and determination. Hemenway fought to stay in the match, but Brown capitalized on key points late to seal an 8-4 victory.
Robert Daniel Jones of East Duplin demonstrated tactical awareness in the No. 3 singles match against Dante Lamphear. Despite falling behind early, Jones adjusted his approach, working the court with calculated shot placement. Lamphear attempted to regain momentum with aggressive play, but unforced errors at crucial moments allowed Jones to close it out 8-6.
The No. 4 singles matchup saw Spring Creek’s Peyton Summerlin take on Enrique Perez-Benitez. Summerlin played with a relaxed approach, staying composed even as Perez-Benitez jumped out to an early lead. Although the East Duplin senior showed enough skill to keep the match competitive, Summerlin took control in the later games, showcasing his strong season performance despite ultimately falling 8-2.
Parker Dupree provided another solid performance for East Duplin at No. 5 singles, defeating Brady Papst 8-4. Dupree relied on a blend of energy and tactical play, keeping the match tight in the early going before finding his rhythm to pull away late.
The closest contest of the singles round took place in the No. 6 match, where Spring Creek’s Nolan Lane squared off against East Duplin’s Gavin Ballard. Lane started strong, holding his ground in extended rallies and showing resilience at the baseline. However, Ballard maintained composure, capitalizing on late mistakes from Lane to close out an 8-4 victory.
With East Duplin holding a 6-0 lead, the doubles matches served as the final opportunity for Spring Creek to get on the board. The Panthers continued their dominance in the No. 1 doubles match, as Simmons and Dupree paired up to take down Slye and Hemenway 8-6 in a hard-fought battle. The duo’s chemistry proved key as they held off a late surge from Spring Creek.
Spring Creek managed to avoid the sweep in the No. 2 doubles match, where Summerlin and Papst pulled out an 8-6 victory over Brown and Perez-Benitez. The match remained tight throughout, with both teams exchanging breaks before Spring Creek’s duo secured the final two games to claim their team’s lone win of the day.
East Duplin finished the match strong in No. 3 doubles, as Ballard and Jonathan Villatoro-Miranda handled Lamphear and Dylan Cruz 8-1, wrapping up a dominant day for the Panthers.
Following the match, Spring Creek head coach Robert Jones praised his team’s improvement over the season, emphasizing their growth in singles play and confidence heading into the conference stretch.
“I think we played really well today compared to our first match with East Duplin,” Jones said. “The season goes by quickly, but we’ve been focusing on the little things. Our doubles teams are pretty much set, and I feel good about where we are as we move forward.”
Jones specifically highlighted Alex Hemenway for his strong showing in a competitive singles match, as well as Peyton Summerlin for his impressive overall record and consistency throughout the season.
One of East Duplin’s players, Daniel Jones competing in his first varsity tennis season, reflected on his experience, sharing his love for golf and basketball while acknowledging that tennis has become an enjoyable challenge. He expressed pride in his progress, citing a highlight performance earlier in the season against North Lenoir.
“Having a great coach makes a big difference,” he said. “It’s important to have fun out here, and I think we’ve done that this season.”
With the win, East Duplin continues to build momentum as the team moves deeper into conference play. The Panthers’ next match will provide another opportunity to refine their play and solidify their position in the standings.
Meanwhile, Spring Creek will look to regroup and find consistency as they prepare for their upcoming matches. Despite the loss, the Gators showed flashes of promise, particularly in doubles competition, where they nearly secured a second victory.
As the season progresses, both teams will aim to capitalize on their strengths and improve upon areas of weakness. With a few matches remaining, there is still time for adjustments for some exciting matches.
