FAIRMONT — The weather may still be somewhat chilly outside, but the East Fairmont tennis team has started their 2025 spring campaign off scorching hot on the court.
After the conclusion of a dynamic 2023-24 season in which the mens’ squad finished 14-2 overall and ranked No. 6 in Class AA/A within the state, the 2025 team, led by head coach Scott Reed, started this year off 4-0 with wins over cross-town rival North Marion, Philip Barbour, Lincoln and Wheeling Central.
While many programs around the state lost players to graduation at the end of last season, the Bees returned all but one member of their squad with hopes of making another run to Charleston for the W.Va state tournament.
On Tuesday afternoon at East Marion Park, the Bees competed against Moorefield High, and ultimately lost in heartbreaking fashion by a score of 4-3. Coming into the contest, the Yellow Jackets also held an undefeated record of 8-0, now 9-0 after defeating East Fairmont on their home turf.
In the womens’ matchups, Moorefield also claimed a commanding 7-0 victory as East Fairmont held their own with just three players available for the contest. Coming into Tuesday’s match, the Bees had previously racked up a 6-1 win against St. Mary’s, and competed against Philip Barbour, Lincoln, North Marion, and Wheeling Central.
Despite the loss for both sides on Tuesday, seniors Hunter Bragg and Haydyn Dudash have led the charge for a talented Bees’ squad that appears poised in both singles and doubles matches.
In his first four matchups, Bragg snatched commanding victories (8-3, 8-0, 8-0, and 8-2) in singles, and also went a perfect 4-0 in doubles. Dudash, while also competing as Bragg’s doubles partner, earned a 4-0 start in his singles competitions with scores of 8-4, 8-0, 8-4 and 8-0.
Bragg and Dudash were also crowned Big 10 Conference Doubles Champions last season, and certainly have hopes of replicating that success this season after such a strong start.
Senior Isaiah Ferrell and junior Kollin Maxey, also returners from last season’s squad, were 4-0 in doubles matches together prior to Tuesday’s defeat and individually have collected numerous wins in the Bees’ opening contests of the season.
Under first year head coach Josh Eye, the Bees womens’ squad will continue to gain momentum after players were forced to take a year off last season due to lack of a coaching staff halting chances of putting together a team.
Currently, the women's roster is made up of six sophomores, leaving plenty of room to grow in the coming seasons. Carson Grace, Paige Snyder, Taylor Swisher, Kendall Grace, Kaitie Woodland, and Ryleigh Bills are the inaugural squad for Eye, who is eager for his players to continue to learn and find a rhythm as the season progresses.
With a long schedule ahead, both Bees’ squads will return to action Thursday as they take on Buckhannon-Upshur on the road at West Virginia Wesleyan College at 4 p.m. A jam-packed week will continue on Thursday, April 3 at Robert C. Byrd High before a break in action on Friday.
