Barber falls to eventual champ at 2A West Regional

Polk County freshman Banks Barber got to see the best of the best Friday in his first experience with 2A regional tennis competition.

Barber dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision to Pine Lake Prep’s Tyler Ramanata in the opening round of the 2A West Regional tennis tournament at Gardner-Webb University.

Ramanata, the top seed who won the state 1A individual title last season, went on to win the regional, claiming the championship on Saturday with a dominating 6-1, 6-1 win over Brevard’s Porter Schrader.

The loss capped a successful first season of competitive tennis for Barber, who played No. 1 singles for the Wolverines.