Bunker Hill, Hickory eliminated in dual-team tennis

The state high school girls’ dual-team tennis playoffs will continue without any teams from the Greater Hickory area.

The last two area teams still alive were eliminated on Monday in the third round of the 2A and 3A brackets.

Unbeaten Shelby eliminated Bunker Hill, a wild-card entry from the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A, by winning 9-0 in Shelby.

The Bears were in the third round for the first time in school history, going one round deeper than their previous best in 1991.

Asheville knocked off visiting Hickory, the Northwestern 3A-4A champ, 6-3 at Asheville in the 3A tournament.

After losing in the first round three straight seasons, the Red Tornadoes were three rounds deep for the first time since they went to the 2007 semifinals and lost to Charlotte Catholic.

Shelby (18-0) plays at home again on Wednesday, facing Salisbury (18-1), for a berth in Saturday’s 2A championship in Burlington.

Asheville (18-3) next plays Charlotte Catholic (19-2) on Wednesday in Asheville in the West 3A title match. The winner also goes to Burlington on Saturday to play for a state title.

VOLLEYBALL

Red Devils play N. Surry for the West 2A title

Newton-Conover can win a berth in the state 2A girls’ volleyball championship match by winning at home on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils (27-5), the top seed from the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A, face North Surry (30-2) in the West 2A final at Lemon Gym. Match time is 7 p.m.

North Surry has won 96 of its last 100 matches, and the Red Devils are in the semifinals for the second time in school history.

The match winner reaches the state championships on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum.

The West winner meets the East winner in Raleigh, which will be the winner of Tuesday’s Farmville Central (23-3) at Elizabeth City Northeastern (21-0) battle.

-- Northwestern 3A-4A champion Watauga (22-7) is at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to face Providence in the West 4A final.

The winner advances to Raleigh for a 2:30 p.m. match on Saturday in the state final against Green Hope (24-1) ro Wilmington Hoggard (21-3), who play Tuesday night in Wilmington.

GOLF

Alex Central in sixth place; Foard’s Setzer in 3A Top 10

Alexander Central High is in sixth place in after one round of the state 4A girls’ golf tournament, and Fred T. Foard’s Ashlyn Setzer is tied for seventh in the 3A tournament.

The Cougars had an opening-round 266 at Pinehurst No. 6 and is behind, in order, Ardrey Kell (240), Raleigh Athens Drive (241), Winston-Salem Reagan (245), New Bern (246) and Pinecrest (258) going into Tuesday’s final round.

Abbey Hartsell led Alexander Central with a 79, Noelle Alexander had a 90 and Keslie Rhyne closed at 100.

Stephanie Pribonic of Raleigh Wakefield and Sarah Bae of Raleigh Athens Drive lead with 74s.

Setzer, who qualified as an individual in the 3A tournament at Foxfire Resort and Golf Course, is tied for seventh with Sarah Bertram of Concord after firing an 86.

Hickory’s Bree Keeler had a 93 and Freedom’s Megan Kirksey shot 115.

Ledford’s 277 leads the 3A team race by one stroke over Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons and Pikeville Aycock’s Tara Simmons is up six strokes after an opening-round 76.

In the 1A/2A tournament at Longleaf Golf and Country Club, Marianne Burris of Draughn had a 94 and East Burke’s Bridget Abee shot 103.

Salisbury leads East Surry by 20 strokes in the team competition and the Hornets’ Isabell Rusher had a 74 and leads by three strokes.

SOCCER

Area gets 10 in playoffs; Alex Central plays Tuesday

Ten boys’ soccer teams from the Greater Hickory area  are in the state playoffs, where first round matches must be played by Wednesday night.

Fred T. Foard (3A), Freedom (3a), Hickory (3A) and Newton-Conover (2A) earned first-round home matches.

Alexander Central is in the 4A playoffs and will play Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at West Mecklenburg.

On Wednesday, it will be:

-- In 2A, West Caldwell is at Smoky Mountain, Maiden at East Lincoln, West Davidson at Newton-Conover and Bandys at Surry Central.

Newton-Conover plays at 7 p.m. and Bandys starts at 6 p.m.

-- In 3A, Franklin visits Hickory, South Point goes to Freedom, Forestview is at Fred T. Foard, Hibriten travels to R-S Central and Patton is at Asheville.

The Hickory and Hibriten matches begin at 6 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Blue Devils put advance tickets on sell for game

Maiden High has advance tickets on sale at the school for Friday’s first-round state 2A football playoff game against East Rutherford.

Tickets are $6 and available at the school’s front desk until 1 p.m. on Friday.

The only passes accepted at the gate Friday will be North Carolina Senior Tar Heel.

Reserved seats and reserved parking passes will be honored, but each individual must also purchase a game ticket, including Super 10 and Tremendous 24 patrons.

For more information, contact Butch Parker at 428-8197.