SPRINGFIELD - Josh Hurt is still perfect, and is now in a position that no Fulton tennis player has ever been in before.
The Fulton senior became the first player in school history to guarantee himself a state medal, advancing to the semifinals in the Class 1 state singles tournament at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
Hurt ran his season record to 27-0, moving on with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Springfield Catholic's Clint Jung in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the morning, Hurt toppled Westminster Christian Academy's Joel Andrew Montgomery 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.
Hurt - now just a victory away from playing for a state title - will face Clayton's Joseph Dulle in the semifinals at 9 this morning.
Meanwhile, Fulton's senior doubles team of Scott Strough and Phillip Barkho avoided elimination with their 6-3, 6-0 triumph over Forsyth's Seth Cramer and Jordan Hamling in a consolation-bracket match Friday afternoon. Strough and Barkho (19-3) bounced back after a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Pembroke Hill's Daniel Han and Noah Bortnick in the first round.
Strough and Barkho were scheduled to play in the consolation quarterfinals later Friday afternoon.
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(Editor's note: For complete coverage, see Sunday's edition.)