High School Sports

Meet The State’s all-area high school boys tennis team for the 2024 season

A look at The State’s Midlands all-area boys tennis team and players of the year for the 2024 season.

—The State’s Player of the Year—

David Pope, Camden

— Readers’ choice Player of the Year (fan vote) —

Emerson Rice, Heathwood Hall

All-Area Boys Tennis Team

Slade Funderburk, Camden: Funderburk was an all-region selection and played in the Class A/2A/3A state tournament.

Will Hewitt, AC Flora: Sophomore was 16-3 overall, 9-0 in region and was all-region selection. He was selected to play in the Class 4A/5A singles state tournament.

Braydon Jeffcoat, River Bluff: Freshman went 12-2, including 8-0 in region play, and dropped only 10 games in region play. Jeffcoat was Region 4-5A Player of the Year.

Carter Johnson, Blythewood: Senior went 10-0, was Region 3-5A Player of the Year and qualified for the 4A/5A state tournament. Will play in college at Belmont Abbey.

Sawyer Kolowith, Dreher: The junior went 16-3, was Region 5-3A Player of the Year and played in the Class A/2A/3A tournament.

Dalton Meador, Gilbert: Meador went 15-5 this year, was all-region and selected for North-South tennis matches this year.

David Pope, Camden: Senior went 13-2 and finished his career with a 78-16 record. Wofford signee was Region 6-3A Player of the Year for the fourth straight year, picked for North-South All-Star matches and won the Class A/2A/3A Individual state championship.

Holden Raley, Spring Valley: Junior was 12-4 this season and all-region selection for the Vikings, who won the Region 3-5A championship.

Emerson Rice, Heathwood Hall: Senior went 10-2, including 6-0 in region play and was SCISA 4A Region Player of the Year. Signed with Hampden-Sydney College.

James Smyth, AC Flora: Junior was 15-4, including 9-0 in region matches. Smyth also was Region 5-4A Player of the Year and played in the 4A/5A state tennis tournament.

Owen Stikelenther, Brookland-Cayce: Bearcats’ No. 1 player was all-region selection and qualified for Class A/2A/3A state tournament.

—Second Team—

Dhruv Bavishi, Spring Valley; William Beasley, AC Flora; Eric Doughtery, Irmo; David Lauderman, Lugoff-Elgin; Gabe Lokodi, Spring Valley; Seigo Maeda, Dutch Fork; Henry Morris, Heathwood Hall; Matthew Nedd, Westwood; Gavin Penny, Batesburg-Leesville; Hollis Ruff, Batesburg-Leesville; Harrison Sechrest, Chapin

Lou Bezjak
The State
Lou Bezjak is the High School Sports Prep Coordinator for The (Columbia) State and (Hilton Head) Island Packet. He previously worked at the Florence Morning News and had covered high school sports in South Carolina since 2002. Lou is a two-time South Carolina Sports Writer of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Support my work with a digital subscription
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