Clayton wins fourth straight GNRC boys’ tennis title

When Kenneth Stivason became Clayton’s boys’ tennis coach nearly 20 years ago, the school featured only a pair of past-their-prime courts on campus – and tempered interest from prospective athletes.

“We would hold two matches there, and then have to bus the rest of the kids to a subdivision for the other matches,” Stivason said. “It wasn’t very ideal.”

These days, Clayton tennis has morphed into an area dynasty with three consecutive Greater Neuse River Conference team championships heading into the 2016 campaign.

The Comets took another step toward an inevitable fourth straight title on Wednesday with a 9-0 victory over West Johnston at the Clayton Courts -- a state-of-the-art facility that was built seven years ago adjacent to the school’s softball field.

Clayton wrapped up the team crown Thursday with a 9-0 decision against Garner, marking the Comets’ 60th straight overall conquest in the GNRC. With a trio of matches remaining in the regular season, Stivason’s club is 16-0 overall and 13-0 in conference action. The Comets have lost just three individual matches the entire spring, winning in doubles and singles by an almost-unbelievable total of 141-3.

“It’s just nice to see how tennis has grown in this community,” Stivason said. “We have so many more complexes now, and kids are getting involved. At one point, we would have 9-10 guys come out for the team, and that was back when all the kids who now go to Corinth Holders and Cleveland went here. By the time those schools opened, we had 20-25 kids coming out.”

Of all the players who have come through the Clayton pipeline, none have the pedigree of senior Klein Evans, who has signed with the University of Richmond. Evans, last year’s 4A state runner-up, remained undefeated this spring at No. 1 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 decision Wednesday over West Johnston junior Josh Fink.

Freshman Banks Evans – Klein’s brother and a cornerstone of Clayton’s future success – swept 12 games to secure at No. 2 singles triumph, while senior Brooks Campbell matched that feat at No. 3 singles.

Campbell’s conquest wasn’t the only highlight of his day. Earlier, he finalized a verbal commitment by signing a letter-of-intent to continue his court career at North Carolina Central University.

“I used to go to camps in the summer that were held by the dad of (Central’s) assistant coach (John McLean IV),’’ Campbell said. “I started looking into Central, and I was very excited when they extended an offer to me.”

Campbell is a former basketball player who didn’t start playing tennis until he was cut from a hoops team in sixth grade.

“My parents said tennis would be good because it is an individual sport,” Campbell said. “You really have nobody to blame but yourself, so it teaches you accountability. It’s been great for me and a lot of fun. I’m an only child, so the guys on our team are like my brothers.”

Campbell has been Klein Evans’ long-time doubles partner, and the duo has never lost a prep match together. But with Klein slated to go the singles route in the postseason, Stivason has been utilizing Campbell with Banks Evans, as they will form a doubles tandem in the state individual playoffs.

“With Klein and Banks, it’s basically like playing with the same person,” Campbell said. “They live in the same house, play the same way and act the same way.”

Said Stivason: “Brooks has really improved the last two years. He has a much more complete all-around game. He has always had power, but he has really worked on his consistency. The rest of his game has caught up with his power.”

With Wednesday’s loss, West Johnston dropped to 6-9 and 4-9 under second-year head coach Amanda Fisher.

“We are a really young team with mostly sophomores,” Fisher said “We lost our entire top six two years ago, and we have been going through some rebuilding years.

“We are going to be good next year – we just have to work hard over the summer. I’m proud of where we are. But when you are a young team playing against older teams, you have to work your way up.”

Fink has been the Wildcats’ No. 1 singles performer this spring, followed by senior John Simon at No. 2 and sophomore David Atik at No. 3.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 9:34 PM with the headline "Clayton wins fourth straight GNRC boys’ tennis title."