With a potential blockbuster matchup looming, the Mount Airy boys tennis team can’t look ahead until it takes care of business against Albemarle this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Mount Airy High School.

If the Granite Bears dispose of Albemarle, they set themselves up for the winner of the Hendersonville-Highland Tech winner May 19 in the semifinals of the 1A state tournament. No matter the outcome of that match, Mount Airy will have to travel.

But it is today’s second-round fray that coach Frank Mayberry and the rest of the Granite Bears have to win before any further thoughts are warranted.

“The thing we have to do is just focus on our game and rely on our experience and play our best to carry us through,” Mayberry said.

While Mount Airy and Albemarle, the Rocky River conference runner-up, have not met in team competitions this season, Brooks Mayberry and Nick John beat one of its doubles teams during regionals last week, 6-1, 6-3.

Mount Airy (13-2) has only lost to 4A Mount Tabor, with both losses coming early in the year. Despite running through 1A competition without much trouble, Mayberry said his does not look ahead.

“This team’s always been focused,” he said. “There is that tendency to start thinking of our next opponent if we make it through this round, but we need to start thinking of them after we take care of Albemarle.”