Washington’s Wilkins named WITN Player of the Week

Published 2:25 pm Thursday, April 30, 2015

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS LONE SENIOR: A leader on and off the court, Washington’s Connor Wilkins looks to carry the Pam Pack through the 2-A dual team playoffs.

DAVID CUCCHIARA | DAILY NEWS
LONE SENIOR: A leader on and off the court, Washington’s Connor Wilkins looks to carry the Pam Pack through the 2-A dual team playoffs.

GREENVILLE — Washington tennis player Connor Wilkins was named the WITN Player of the Week on Tuesday for his contribution to the team throughout the season.

“I’m excited about the award,” Wilkins said. “I wanted it at least and I think I deserve it after all the work I’ve put in. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.”

As a four-year Pam Pack No. 1, Wilkins, alongside junior No. 2 Holt McKeithan, has been a pillar of consistency during his varsity career. This season, he’s recorded a 10-2 singles and 8-2 doubles record and through his 10 singles wins, Wilkins has dropped just 12 games.

Wilkins’ only two individual losses came at the hands of Oakwood, the reigning NCISAA 1-A state champion.

As a team, Washington currently holds an 11-2 overall record and earned a second-consecutive Eastern Plains Conference championship this season. In fact, since joining the table in 2012, the team has yet to drop a match against a conference opponent.

On Tuesday, the Pam Pack ended First Flight’s season in dominant fashion, winning 6-0 and earning a spot in the second round of 2-A dual team playoffs. Despite the decreased level of competition during conference play, Wilkins sees his team as having improved through the final stretch of games.

“At the beginning of the season we were a little shaky,” he said. “As the season progressed, we began to mesh a little more as a team. I think now we’re finally starting to gel at the right time, playoff time.”

Wilkins will look to lead Washington when the Pam Pack hosts Ayden-Grifton (7-5, 5-3 Eastern Carolina) in Round 2 on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Chargers upset Clinton (11-3, 6-0 Four County) in the first round, 5-2.