This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior tennis player Zachary Cole. This season, Cole helped the Orange men’s tennis team get in a position to host a first-round match in the 5A State Dual Team Playoffs for the first time in the program’s history dating back to 1982. The Panthers won the match against Eastern Wayne on Monday via forfeit. Facing formidable conference foes Carrboro and Seaforth in the new Big 7 Conference, the Panthers still finished 13-6 overall, winning a series of 5-4 matches. Cole factored in huge on many of Orange’s victories. In the season-opener, Cole defeated Cedar Ridge’s Tyler Baker 6-4, 6-0 in the #2 singles match. Cole also teamed with Carson Condon to win the #2 doubles match 8-6 as the Panthers edged the Red Wolves 5-4. On March 26, Cole defeated Ian Scott of Walter Williams 6-4, 6-4 as the Panthers defeated the Bulldogs 5-4 in Burlington. Cole teamed with freshman Luke McCrary to defeat Williams doubles team of Ezekiel Wells and Zander Lewis 8-0. Cole and McCrary teamed to win a doubles match in the 2nd round of the state dual team playoffs against Fike in Wilson on Wednesday 8-4. Cole finished his Orange career in the 5A East Regionals at the Burlington Tennis Center on Saturday. He will attend Johnson & Wells College in Charlotte to continue playing tennis while also studying business next fall.
