Clayton’s Carmelle Joyner wins 3rd-straight GNRC title, teammates join her in 4A regionals
Carmelle Joyner’s dominance of Greater Neuse River Conference girls tennis advanced to another level as the Clayton junior won her third straight singles title 6-1, 6-0 Thursday on her home courts.
It may seem routine, but she says she is enjoying this year as much or more than the past two as so many of her teammates are advancing with her to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A Mideast Regionals next weekend. The top five places in singles and doubles earned berths.
“I’ve had a lot of fun these past three years,” Joyner said. “But I’m happy to go regional again because six Clayton players are going, too.”
Joyner is joined in singles by senior Katherine Riley and two doubles teams. Sophomore Sydney Rushing and freshman Crystal Andersen won the conference doubles crown and juniors Hannah Kellum and Stephanie Wilder placed third.
Clayton coach Ken Stivason said these past two seasons are the only two years six Comets have advanced to the regionals in his 18 seasons coaching at the school.
“(Joyner) is a good team captain along my senior captain (Riley),” Stivason said. “She’s at all our practices and matches and helps out with all the other girls.”
She defeated Knightdale junior Diamond Oduok in the final to extend her unbeaten in conference play to three years of tournament and regular-season matches. But now the competition gets tougher. Her goal is to improve upon her second-round elimination from last year’s regional.
Joyner, 16, has been playing tennis for 11 years. She’s a rare lefty who confounds opponents with her opposite style. If an opponent carelessly uses routine strategy to hit to the backhand of a right-hander, they are actually hitting into Joyner’s forehand.
In the third-place match, Garner freshman Cassidy Wilson defeated West Johnston freshman Jessica Reese 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) in a two-hour-plus match.
Riley claimed the fifth and final berth with a 7-6, 7-5 (7-2) win over East Wake’s Malika Nzau.
Doubles
Rushing and Andersen completed an unbeaten season in GRNC play with a win by 6-0, 6-3 scores over West Johnston senior Veronica McLean and junior Carly Juarez. Stivason matched up Rushing and Andersen as a doubles team after they earned the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in singles and played well in doubles.
“We both like to hit the ball hard,” Rushing said. “We play to our strengths and communicate well. That makes a big difference.”
In the third-place doubles match, Comets teammates Kellum and Wilder won 6-4, 6-2 over West Johnston junior Blair Wright and freshman Carrington Mack.
The Garner team of junior Christine Wilkins and junior Jamie Poyich claimed the fifth regional berth by defeating two Trojans teammates, junior Kira Jackson and sophomore Kari Sutton.
This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Clayton’s Carmelle Joyner wins 3rd-straight GNRC title, teammates join her in 4A regionals."