North Moore boys’ tennis coach Angie Shepard couldn’t have asked for a better performance from her young team in its season opener at Chatham Central Tuesday. The Mustangs swept all nine matches for a 9-0 Yadkin Valley Conference win.

“It’s always good to start the season with a win,” said Shepard. “I was a little worried about the wind, but we came out alright. We’re a young team with a lot of freshmen and sophomores, and so did Chatham Central. As long as we keep improving is the important thing.”

On the following day in their home opener against Gray Stone, the youthful Mustangs struggled against the veteran Knights’ squad, falling 9-0.

The Mustangs entertain South Stanly today in the conference match. The match is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.

In the Chatham Central match, the Mustangs’ No. 1 player, sophomore Josh Jones, beat Cameron O’Hara 6-2, 6-3 while the No. 2 player, junior Mason Williams handled Jarrett Mathews 6-3, 6-2.

North’s No. 3 player, sophomore Austin Hunsucker, blanked the Bears Anthony Linebaugh. Mustang freshman Jacob Marley won by a 6-0, 6-1 score at No. 4 over Caleb Reeves. The Mustangs’ No. 5 player, sophomore Rogue Popoca prevailed by a 6-2, 6-0 score over Dylan Lopossay while North’s Gervacia Cabrera received a forfeit at the No. 6 spot.

The Mustangs’ No. 1 doubles team of Jones and Hunsucker and the No. 2 team of Williams and Marley won by identical scores of 8-1. The Mustangs received a forfeit in the No. 3 doubles match.

Gray Stone swept the first and second singles matches, blanking their opponents. Hunsucker fell by a 6-2, 6-3 score and Marley lost by a 6-1, 6-3 score. In the battle at No. 5, Popoca lost the first set 6-3 and then put up a fight in the second set before losing 7-5. Cabrera lost a first set tiebreaker 7-2 and then lost the second set 6-1. Gray Stone swept all three doubles matches.