Like the two previous meetings between Mount Airy and North Stokes, yesterday’s NCHSAA 1A west regional semifinal matchup came down to doubles.

In the final match of the day, the Granite Bears’ Merry Kessler and Elizabeth Dinkins scored a thrilling 10-8 victory to seal a 5-4 win to send Mount Airy to the west finals, where it will take on host East Montgomery Thursday at 4 p.m.

Kessler and Dinkins sped to a 4-1 lead, but fell behind 8-5 after North Stokes’ Taylor York and Millie Norman won seven of eight games. But the young Mount Airy duo rallied when it counted to secure the win and advance the home team.

“It was really back and forth,” Mount Airy coach Scott Kniskern said. He added that Kessler and Dinkins didn’t give up when they fell behind. “Then they just kind of kept fighting and won a few points here and there and got a few points back into it and from there they felt they could get back in it.”

The Vikings and Granite Bears split singles matches, just like they had twice before this year. Mount Airy’s Ellie Case and Jordan Gwyn, who were the state runners-up as a doubles team over the weekend at the individual tournament in Cary, gave the Granite Bears a lead by winning their doubles set, 10-0.

Mount Airy 5,

North Stokes 4

Singles

Jordan Jackson (MA) d. Jordan Wilkins, 6-1, 6-1

Ellie Case (MA) d. Hayley Pack, 6-0, 6-2

Merry Kessler (MA) d. Taylor York, 6-3, 4-6, 10-3

Alysha Hutchins (NS) d. Elizabeth Dinkins, 6-1, 6-0

Kendra Hopkins (NS) d. Jordan Gwyn, 5-7, 6-4, 10-4

Millie Norman (NS) d. Jade Hughes, 6-2, 6-4

Doubles

Case/Gwyn (MA) d. Wilkins/Hopkins, 10-0

Pack/Hutchins (NS) d. Jackson/Hughes, 10-3

Kessler/Dinkins (MA) d. York/Norman, 10-8