BEARVILLE — The top-seed and unbeaten Pierce County Middle School Bears tennis team captured their first Southeast Georgia Middle School Athletic Conference title in four years beating Brantley County Middle School.
The Bears notched a 40 decision Friday, February 20 in a tightly contested matchup with the Herons winning the title for the first time since 2022. The title is the fifth overall for the boys’ program following wins in 2010, 2017 and 2018.
PCMS overpowered fourth-seed Waycross Middle School 4-0 in the semifinals.
The two-time defending conference champion Lady Bears entered as the top seed following an unbeaten campaign. They lost 3-2 to Brantley County Middle School in the finals.
Pierce Middle survived a match closer than the final margin against the Herons.
Nate Carlson held off Blane Smith 8-5 at No. 1 singles. Cooper Bradley was an 8-2 victor at No. 2 over Caiden Bass. Bentley Taylor outlasted Collin Harris 86 at No. 3.
The No. 2 doubles tandem of Barrett Reid and Colen Davis notched an 8-5 decision over Haldin Lee and Cayden Wampler. The No. 1 duo of Jaxon Coates and Pate Thomas trailed Hanner Harris and Bentley Stieve 7-6 when the match was pulled.
Semifinals Bears ..........................................4
Waycross Middle ........................0
PCMS dropped just one game in overpowering the Bulldogs.
Carlson beat Isaiah Rowland 8-0 at No. 1. Bradley posted the same score at No. 2 against Robert Mack. Taylor notched an 8-1 victory at No. 3 over Herli Halladay.
Reid and Davis rolled to an 8-0 victory at No. 2 with Coates and Thomas leading 6-0 at No. 1 when the match was pulled.
