After finishing near the bottom of the Tri-Nine Conference a year ago, the Mustangs have put together a 4-1 record following a 9-0 sweep at Fuquay-Varina last Wednesday.

Number-one singles player, Matt Stachowiak improved to 5-0 with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Fuquay's Bryce Riley. He said the Mustangs have some individual talent, and they are working to blend it just right.

"We normally pull it through in singles," Stachowiak said. "We're still trying to figure out doubles a little bit. We're trying to figure out what combinations of people work well together. If we get behind in doubles, singles normally pulls it through for us."

The Mustangs doubles teams were clicking against the Bengals. Stachowiak and A.J. Wypychoski had a battle on their hands with Fuquay's Bryce Riley and Brendon Smith but took the No. 1 match 8-6.

The No. 2 partnership of Mihnen Tomas and Justin Pinepinto won 8-1, as did No. 3 pair Bishop Duhon and Dan Diaz.

Fuquay coach Bill Brown said he's got several part-time tennis players this spring who specialize in other sports. That means there's not nearly as much depth as the Bengals enjoyed last spring on the way to postseason play.

"We're just really inexperienced," Brown said. "Our team last year made the state playoffs. We lost four kids off of that. Bryce and Brendan are the only two with any experience at all. They're making progress. We just don't have the depth. In years past, we won a lot at three, four, five and six. If we have a chance this year, it's at one and two."

Fuquay's Smith made Wypychoski earn every point in their number-two singles match, wrapping up long after the other matches with Wypychoski prevailing 7-5, 6-4. Diaz won his match with Hunter Gavis, 6-3, 6-0. Thomas also won his singles match, 6-1, 6-0.

"They're a great group of guys," Middle Creek coach Rhonda Blanchard said of her team. "They're very easy to coach and to be around because they're hard workers. They're good about encouraging one another. A.J. moved in [and] Justin [Pinepinto] is a freshman, so they've been two nice additions to the team. Those two additions added a lot of strength to our lineup."