COURTESY GHS
Glenvar’s Alec McIlwain is the Region 2C tennis singles champion. Alec defeated Cole Howard of Floyd County in the region final Tuesday to earn a trip to the Class 2 singles four-man tournament next week.
Alec opened Region play last week with an 8-2 pro set win overt Mason Murphy of Radford. Then he beat Samuel Vaden of Giles in the semifinal, 6-0, 6-0 to set up his match with Howard. Alec pulled out a tough first set, 7-6, the raced to a 6-0 win in the second set to clinch the state title.
Alec now advances to the state singles quarterfinals at Liberty University on June 13 against the Region A champion. Howard will play for Floyd’s team in the state quarterfinals and in the individual doubles semi’s at Liberty University.
McIlwain and Connor Wilkes represented the Highlanders in region doubles and were eliminated by the Radford duo in a hard-fought pro set, 8-6.
In team play Glenvar opened with a 5-0 win over George Wythe before being eliminated by Floyd, 5-2. The Buffaloes look to be a prime contender for the state title in Lynchburg next week.
“We gave Floyd their toughest match of the year but they won all the close ones to get the win,” said Glenvar coach Bob Haynie. “I’m proud of our Glenvar boys. Sometimes you don’t get the fairytale ending but they’ve all been a part of a rebuilt program that has been to two regional finals, won a state championship in 2023 and went to a state quarterfinals last year. Most if all, I hope they’ll never forget what they’ve accomplished and apply what they’ve learned to a successful life.”
Haynie indicated this was the last year he would coach the team.
“I committed to coach for one year in 2021 because our AD, Tyler Brown, couldn’t find anyone, and that turned into five,” said Haynie. “It’s now past time for me to sign off, but wow…what a ride!”
