Waccamaw tops BE in Lower State

JAMES BECK
The Post and Courier

Bishop England's Randall Heffron plays a shot in his loss at No. 3 singles Wednesday.

Class AA-A Boys' Tennis

MOUNT PLEASANT — Defending state champion Waccamaw brought its lineup of stars to Whipple Road's tennis center Wednesday afternoon. And just like the last last five years, the Warriors ended Bishop England's season.

This time, Waccamaw (20-0) put away the Bishops (13-3) by winning all five singles matches in straight sets before the Bishops' No. 2 doubles team made the final score, 5-1, in the Class AA-A Lower State boys' tennis final.

Coach Skip ReVille's Bishop England crew came close to winning a couple of sets, and maybe even individual matches, especially at No. 3 singles where BE sophomore Randall Heffron pushed top eight-ranked U.S. boys' 14 player Harrison Richmond to a first-set tiebreaker before suffering a 7-6 (6), 6-4 loss.

"He played well," Randall Heffron said about his young opponent, a left-handed eighth-grader. "I was up 5-4 in the first set and then 3-0 in the tiebreaker. I served well, but he played the bigger points better than I did. I tightened up. He didn't."

Heffron's younger brother, freshman Walker Heffron, also came close against the other Richmond brother, sophomore Josh, but suffered a 7-5, 6-3, setback at No. 5.

"The score doesn't indicate how tough that match was," said Waccamaw coach James Brown.

Yet, in two meetings with the Warriors this season, the best the Bishops could muster was a pair of wins by freshmen Trey Halbauer and Rivers Colyer at No. 2 doubles.

Waccamaw's other stars, Clemson signee/Southern second-ranked Wesley Moran, Southern top 10 Billy Kenny and Presbyterian College tennis/football-bound Thomas Ligon, yielded a total of seven games to the Bishops as the Warriors qualified for their sixth straight state final.

Junior John Karle played Moran a tough first set in No. 1 singles, but couldn't match the tall Waccamaw player's power or consistency, losing 6-3, 6-0.

"They're a good team," said ReVille, wrapping up his first year as the Bishops' coach. "They always come to play. We have a long ways to go, even with the level of talent we have. But we're graduating only two seniors (No. 2 Andrew Thebes and No. 4 Leigh Colyer)."

WACCAMAW 5, BISHOP ENGLAND 1

Singles: Wesley Moran (W) def. John Karle, 6-3, 6-0; Billy Kenny (W) def. Andrew Thebes, 6-3, 6-0; Harrison Richmond (W) def. Randall Heffron, 7-6 (6), 6-4; Thomas Ligon (W) def. Leigh Colyer, 6-1, 6-0; Josh Richmond (W) def. Walker Heffron, 7-5, 6-3. Doubles: Trey Halbauer/Rivers Colyer (BE) def. HB Marshall/Michael Moran, 6-2, 6-4.