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Meet the All-WNC high school boys tennis teams for 2024 NCHSAA season

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Meet the All-WNC high school boys tennis teams for 2024 NCHSAA season

The Citizen-Times and Times-News have released the All-WNC high school boys tennis team for the 2024 North Carolina high school season, including player of the year and coach of the year.

West Henderson and North Buncombe both advanced to the fourth round in the NCHSAA 3A playoffs. It was the first time the Black Hawks had advanced that far in the dual team brackets.

Smoky Mountain’s Derek Hinkle reached the third round of the 3A individual singles state championships, while Owen’s doubles team of Blake Bradley and Rafa Kohn were three games away from the 2A third round when Kohn tore his ACL.

Here is the 2024 All-WNC Boys Tennis team.

All-WNC Boys Tennis Player of the Year

Drake Gallian

West Henderson, Sr.

Gallian defended his selection as last year’s All-WNC Player of the Year with another stellar season. He went undefeated in conference play and 22-3 on the season at No. 1 singles and doubles. The Falcons reached the fourth round of the 3A playoffs behind the two-time Mountain 7 Conference Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year

Bob Graeme

North Buncombe

Graeme coached the Black Hawks to the programs’ first NCHSAA 3A fourth-round appearance. North Buncombe knocked off previously undefeated No. 3 Central Davidson before falling to the eventual state champions, No. 2 South Point. Graeme’s team finished second in the Mountain Athletic Conference with a 9-3 record.

Rest of All-WNC boys tennis first team

Blake Bradley

Owen, Jr.

Bradley went 7-3 at No. 1 singles for the Warhorses and was even better at No. 1 doubles. Alongside partner Rafa Kohn, Bradley was 13-0 and reached the second round of the 2A individual state doubles championships before retiring due to an injury.

Ryan Garcia

North Henderson, Jr.

Garcia recorded a 21-6 record for the Knights, who finished second in the Mountain 7 Conference. Garcia went 11-3 at No. 2 singles and 10-3 in doubles. All six of his losses came against All-WNC First Team competition.

Derek Hinkle

Smoky Mountain, So.

Hinkle went 17-7 on the season and qualified for the 3A individual state championships, where he reached the third round after going 12-2 at No. 1 singles for the Mustangs.

James O’Brien

Roberson, Fr.

O’Brien spent most of his freshman season at the No. 2 singles spot, earning a 17-4 overall record, including 5-0 at No. 1 doubles. O’Brien won the Mountain Athletic Conference singles tournament and led the Rams to an undefeated 12-0 conference record and into the third round of the NCHSAA 4A playoffs.

Julian Stolevski

West Henderson, Jr.

With Gallian as his partner, Stolevski went undefeated in doubles and won the Mountain 7 Conference doubles tournament. He was also 11-1 at No. 2 singles

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All-WNC boys tennis second team

Ed Beavington, Asheville School, Sr.

Derek Gilliland, North Buncombe, Jr.

Caiden Hilliard, Hendersonville, Sr.

Rafa Kohn, Owen, Jr.

Isaac Lewis, Roberson, Fr.

Max Schantz, Asheville High, Jr.

Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @EvanGerike. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

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