Announcements

Beyond the Baseline: The Passion and Progress of High School Tennis

By: Wesley Mednick                                                                                                        

The head players of the tennis team have led their team to victory many times and for the 2024-2025 school year, the tennis team had an overall of 8-5, and 6-4 in the region. This week the boys are getting ready to start their new season!

Juniors Joseph Silliato and Thomas Fowler have been in leadership roles for a couple of seasons now. 

“We accomplished a lot and we actually won the playoff match for one,” Fowler said. 

 “My favorite part of the season is the individual part because it’s your mindset, and it’s your skill versus others,” Fowler said. 

 “The hardest part of tennis and being on the team is the mental side of it, and how you think to play,” Silliato said. 

 Boys’ tennis plans on travelling to Laurens, Wren, Westside, and Woodmont this year, with big region matchups being between Laurens and Wren.

While the team will have games two to three times a week, tournaments will take place every couple of weeks during the season. 

Both Silliato and Fowler joined the team in ninth grade.

“My friends were on the team, and I wanted to be with them and play tennis against them,” Silliato said. 

While tennis is an individual sport, there still needs to be teamwork and cooperation. 

“I would say it's not as easy as it looks, so be prepared for a challenge,” Fowler said. 

High school tennis follows standard tennis principles, like points, games and the rules focus on sportsmanship and readiness so the receiver can be ready.

“[The rules] are easy to understand. At first it can be complicated, but it also depends on the honesty of the other person because they could easily cheat,” Fowler said.

Playing as a team can be a challenge, and sometimes the goals that are set for the team are exceeded, and sometimes they are not met.    

“There's always room to grow, and you can't really perfect it. You can always get better and knowing that you can always get better makes it more fun,” Fowler said. 

 He explains that tennis is unique because of this, and this shows that tennis is a sport where you can always be better, and can always do better.

 The tennis coach, Coach Willis, talks about how Fowler and Siliato have contributed to the tennis team. 

“They've done an amazing job with get along with everybody, and they have helped make it a fun experience for everyone,” Willis said.

 “I've been surprised at how passionate Joseph would get about tennis. He's very passionate about it and has progressed a ton over the past year and a half. He's grown into our best player heading into this season,” Willis said. 

 “Thomas has surprised me at his confidence and his abilities, and how he's grown and progressed over the past year and a half,” Willis said. 

Both players have contributed significantly to the team. 

“Joseph is really good at ground strokes (which are fundamental shots—either a forehand or backhand—executed after the ball has bounced, which is typically played from the baseline). He's really good at that, and he's got a lot of confidence, which carries the rest of the team, and then, Tom is really good at volleying. He's really good at the net and confident at the net, and is very good compared to the rest of our guys,” Willis said

“The biggest thing is confidence in their ability, and actually having a strategy instead of just hitting the ball back, so confidence and strategy would be the two things that describe them,” Willis said. 

Willis hopes that he and his team can take what they have learned last season, apply it and make this season even better, and Fowler and Siliato are also looking forward to the 2026 tennis season, and they hope that they can play to the best of their abilities!

Sports Chatter Podcast - Episode 3 - LaMerria Fowler & Victoria Ta

Check out The Fury Flyer here:

“Final Shot, Forever Memory”

By: Preston Courtney 

With this season winding down, the seniors for both boys and girls have one last game in front of their home crowd. 

Aniya Brown, the ‘Fury Girls’ only senior, is committed to Newberry University and has a future ahead of her.

With Brown’s commitment, her college future is set, but the same is not said for her High school career. Brown played her last high school game on her home court last night. 

Brown has played her fair share of games for the Fury. Brown has been on the Varsity basketball team since her freshman year. 

It wasn’t just Brown having a special night. Five of the 12 ‘Fury boys’ also played their last high school game on their home court. 

One of those seniors, Aaden McDowell, is the team captain. McDowell has been on varsity since junior year. 

Auston Williams, third in scoring for the Fury, is also a two-sport athlete.

Lucas Eubanks, another senior who has been on varsity since junior year, Eubanks leads the team in assists with 30 and also leads in blocks with four.  

Gabe Chapman is once again a senior who has been on the team since junior year.

Last but not least, Mikell Gray is the final Senior for the ‘Fury boys’.

With Fountain Inn having five seniors on this team, it ties for the most seniors on the ‘Fury boys’ team.

Last night, both boys and girls played the Emerald Vikings, which is an in-region rivalry. With that being said, both boys and girls shone bright, winning both games by a hefty number.

With the girls only having one senior [Brown,] they made sure that Brown’s night would be nothing short of greatness. 

Brown led the team with 15 points and seven FGM (Field Goals Made). Brown started the game off strong, making it known that she was gonna have a great game!

All five of the ‘Fury boys’ seniors scored points during their senior night game. 

Auston Williams led that charge,e scoring 24 of the 77 points. Nine of those points were threes. 

It was a great night “INN the 44” for the Fury seniors.