FC tennis growing with each competition

Franklin County High School’s tennis program is seeking to build a foundation for the future by creating a competitive squad not just for its current 2022 campaign.

Ashley Windom, who is coaching the team, said the season thus far has been a fun learning experience for those participating.

“Our team is led by six seniors — Ali Bolt, Kayleigh Bolt, Morgan Laird, Ashlynn O’Quinn, Nathan Stafford and Gabe Touchstone,” Windom said.

“We’ve been making a lot of progress and having fun along the way. Our focus has been on getting better every time we play.”

Windom said her squad has been gaining confidence and experience through four matches thus far with three additional competitions on tap following the spring break hiatus.

“We’re also working to build our junior varsity and middle school programs for future years,” Windom continued.

Here is a summary of Franklin County single and doubles tennis wins prior to this week’s break in action:

Monday, Feb. 14

WESSON 6, FC 1

The Bulldogs’ Rebekah Griffin and Stafford picked up a season-opening mixed doubles victory over Wesson — 6-1, 6-1.

Wesson claimed a 6-1 team-score victory in the match.

Thursday, Feb. 24

COLUMBIA 4, FC 3

A girls single match was won by O’Quinn (6-4, 6-0); a girls doubles match with Kayleigh and Ali Bolt ended in a 6-0, 6-2 victory; and another girls doubles match with Laird and Brooklyn Cupit was won by a 6-0, 7-6 margin.

Thursday, March 3

RALEIGH 5, FC 2

Kayleigh and Ali Bolt nailed down a No. 1 girls doubles match with a 6-0, 3-6, 10-4 decision while Laird and Addison Cooper took a 6-2, 6-1 victory in the No. 2 girls doubles contest.

Thursday, March 10

FC 4, LOYD STAR 3

The Bulldogs claimed all doubles wins against Loyd Star to claim its first top team-score finish of the season.

Levi Sterling and Touchstone earned a 6-0, 6-3 win in No. 1 boys doubles play with Seth Powell and Jaxon Westbrook getting a No. 2 boys doubles win (6-1, 6-0).

The girls doubles teams also played strong with Kayleigh Bolt and O’Quinn winning in the No. 1 match by a 6-0, 6-1 margin.

Laird and Cooper, as the No. 2 doubles team, took a 6-0, 6-0 wins.

Scheduled matches following spring break, according to Windom, will include at least three opponents — West Lincoln, Magee and Enterprise.