The 60-year-old 3.5 rated USTA tennis team from Pinehurst that has won the state Super Senior championship for the last four years, has now added the nine-state Southern Sectional title to its list of accomplishments.

At a tournament held in Columbus, Ga., recently they defeated the state winners from South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. No other 60s team from Moore County has ever done this.

To defeat others from much larger geographical areas, including major league cities such as Atlanta, Louisville, Birmingham, Memphis and New Orleans, is a tribute to the caliber of senior tennis in Moore County, according to Bill Doerr, the team's captain.

The team home courts are at the National Tennis Club, but other local facilities, including Lawn and Tennis, Pinehurst Resort, Country Club of North Carolina and Pinewild have contributed members.

Each year that this team has reached the Southern Sectional Tournament its record has improved.

The first time, in 2005, it failed to make the finals. In 2006, the squad made it to the finals but lost to Georgia, who went on to become the national champions.

Last year, the local team again reached the finals only to lose in a tiebreaker to South Carolina.

This year, the Pinehurst team went all the way, defeating both Georgia and South Carolina, among others, in the process.

In five doubles matches played over three days, the duo of Rocco Simone and Bill Wall never lost a set in winning all five of their matches. David Klauder and Julian Carr lost only two sets in winning four matches. The teams of Bob Stanik-Harry Fekkes and John Lamb-Julian King were equally impressive in their matches.

Doerr said this year was the worst for injuries and the team was without Ron Liveris and Bill Schanilec for the tournament as both are recovering from recent surgery.

The team's next competition will be the national championship tournament, in Mobile, Ala., during the last week of April.

The local team will compete against 15 other USTA Sectional winners for the USA Super Senior title.