RONDA - The Buckin’ Elks made a statement to the rest of the league Thursday night - they are ready to defend their Mountain Valley Conference tennis championship.

Elkin breezed past previously undefeated East Wilkes 9-0 to secure its spot atop the conference standings early in the season.

Reigning 1A state champion Tyler Macy started the rout with a straight-set sweep of Dillon Shew in the No. 1 match. Ryan Schell followed suit with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Greylin Cleary.

David Bullins, Ashton Gant, Chad Vestal and Jacob Lyon completed the singles sweep with wins over the Cardinals.

In doubles play, Macy and Schell blanked Cleary and Alivn Sales 9-0. The doubles teams of Bullins/Vestal and Gant/Coley McCulloch rounded out the day with comfortable 8-1 victories to give Elkin the team sweep.

Elkin 9, East Wilkes 0

Singles

1. Tyler Macy (Elkin) def. Dillon Shew (East Wilkes) 6-0, 6-0

2. Ryan Schell (Elkin) def. Greylin Cleary (East Wilkes) 6-2, 6-0

3. David Bullins (Elkin) def. Alvin Sales (East Wilkes) 6-1, 6-2

4. Ashton Gant (Elkin) def. Levi Barker (East Wilkes) 6-3, 6-0

5. Chad Vestal (Elkin) def. Jeffrey Haynes (East Wilkes) 6-1, 6-0

6. Jacob, Lyon (Elkin) def. Luke Patterson (East Wilkes) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles

1. Macy/Schell, (Elkin) def. Cleary/Sales (East Wilkes) 8-0

2. Bullins/Vestal (Elkin) def. Shew/Barker (East Wilkes) 8-1

3. Gant/Coley McCulloch (Elkin) def. Haynes/Patterson (East Wilkes) 8-1

Reach Matthew Gorry at 835-1513 or mgorry@civitasmedia.com.