Successful start for Abilene Wylie tennis in Region I-4A tournament

LUBBOCK — The start of the Region I-4A tournament was a good one for the Wylie tennis team as it filled five spots in the finals Wednesday at the McLeod Tennis Center at Texas Tech.

The Bulldogs will compete in the boys singles, girls singles, girls doubles and mixed doubles finals, while a boys doubles team will play for third place, and a possible playback. It capped off a day in which Wylie went 20-4 overall.

More:Wylie tennis set for more success at Region I-4A tournament

“It’s a great day. We’re proud of all the kids, “Wylie coach Brent Abilez said. “For the ones who made it to the finals, they’ve still got work to do. For the ones that got knocked out, we had a good run, they worked hard and did everything they could. We’re super proud of them and they’re going to support the teams (Thursday) and try to get them to state. It’s a great day with mixed emotions … you’re happy for the ones who made it and hurt for the ones who didn’t.”

The pairing of Elle Schroeder and Andrea McMillan finished off the day with a late-night victory to set up a rematch of the District 5-4A final with teammates Hailey Parker and Madison Andrews in the girls doubles final. All four of the players have been a strength for the team this season.

“It’s great,” Abilez said. “This year, we knew our girls, we’re not leaps and bounds better than people, but we play smart, strategic tennis. They do the fundamentals correctly and because they do the fundamentals correctly and they believe in themselves and they move and they hustle and they never quit it puts us in a good position to come out on top … to have both of them in the finals means a lot, it means both (teams) have worked hard throughout the year.”

The most dominating performance of the day came from the mixed doubles pairing of Kaitlyn Hathorn and Davyn Williford. The team won its first two matches 6-0, 6-0 and finished the day off with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the semifinals.

“They’re two of the leaders on the team,” Abilez said. “Kaitlyn, I’ve had her for four years and have known her since she was itty bitty. Davyn, got him as a freshman and he was all about having fun … those two have blossomed into great athletes, great leaders and great people. They put in the time and they work.”

In singles, Lane Adkins and Analeah Elias also powered their way into the finals.

Adkins is still dealing with an injury that forced him to miss the championship of the Abilene Eagle Invitational. He eased himself back into play for a district title and for success at region.

“Lane has been doing well coming off that injury,” Abilez said. “We dialed it down a little bit for district. We had some good practice matches (before region) and he fought hard in those, so we knew he would be feeling good.”

Elias didn’t drop a point in her first two matches and won her semifinal by a 6-1, 6-3 score to reach the final and put herself in a position to earn a region title.

The boys doubles team of Cole Edwards and Zane McCurley dropped a tough semifinal match to Pampa, but still have a chance at state. If they can win their third-place match and have Pampa win the championship, Edwards and McCurley would have a shot at the Andrews duo for a state berth.

“We talked about it after the match, it’s just going to be how bad they want it,” Abilez said. “The only thing they’re in control of is winning the third-place match and then whatever is meant to be will be. We’re hoping that the Pampa boys pull out a win … and that we win that third place match and get a playback.”

The other boys pairing of Cason Byington and Courtney Holmes won their first-round match in three sets, but couldn’t repeat the feat in the quarterfinals, falling in three sets. In girls singles, Trinity Miller dropped a three-set match in her first round to third-seeded Bailey Deatherage of Alvarado.

“We had two (lines) that fought hard, extremely hard,” Abilez said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them and couldn’t have asked for more out of them. Trinity Miller, freshman, getting moved into the lineup literally two weeks before district and making it to regionals and then having to play the third seed right off the bat, splitting sets and being right there … Cason and Courtney, they grind, they’re grinders. They fought as hard as they could for as long as they could and it’s just tennis. (Wednesday) was not our day, but they were positive throughout the whole match.”

The finals and third place matches will begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

REGION I-4A TOURNAMENT

Wednesday at McCleod Tennis Center, Lubbock

BOYS SINGLES

FIRST ROUND — Marcus Kleckner, Burkburnett, def. Trace Chapman, Snyder, 6-0, 6-1; Carlos Munoz, San Elizario, def. Angel Alaniz, Pecos, 7-6(5), 6-1; Harrison Hawkins, Glen Rose, def. Paxton Proctor, Pampa, 6-1, 6-3; Gage Trichel, Springtown, def. Michael Aranda, Denver City, 6-3, 6-3; Daniel Rangel, Perryton, def. Julio Sotelo, Clint, 6-2, 6-3; Ryan James, Wichita Falls Hirschi, def. Luis Pinton, Fort Stockton, 6-2, 6-0; Nikolas Salazar, Brownfield, def. Ryan Roller, Kennedale, 6-1, 6-0; Lane Adkins, Wylie, def. Christian Zepeda-Lozano, Midlothian Heritage, 6-0, 6-0.

QUARTERFINALS — Kleckner, Burkburnett, def. Munoz, San Elizario, 6-2, 6-2; Hawkins, Glen Rose, def. Trichel, Springtown, 6-1, 6-0; James, Wichita Falls Hirschi, def. Rangel, Perryton, 6-3, 6-4; Adkins, Wylie, def. Salazar, Brownfield, 6-2, 6-0.

SEMIFINALS — Kleckner, Burkburnett, def. Hawkins, Glen Rose, 6-4, 6-2; Adkins, Wylie, def. James, Wichita Falls Hirschi, 6-0, 6-1.

THIRD PLACE — Hawkins, Glen Rose, vs. James, Wichita Falls Hirschi.

FINAL — Kleckner, Burkburnett vs. Adkins, Wylie.

BOYS DOUBLES

FIRST ROUND — Luis Ramos-Justin Moore, Andrews, def. Eric Antonucci-Hill, Springtown 6-1, 6-0; Courtney Holmes-Cason Byington, Wylie, def. Pietro Lazzarotto-Rohan Tanjavur, Wichita Falls Hirschi, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Josh Windham-Ben Helm, Midlothian Heritage, def. Reid Smith-Chase Ward, Pampa, 6-4, 6-2; Luis Navarrette-Francisco De La Torre, San Elizario, def. Zach West-Luis Fierro, Levelland, 6-1, 6-1; Luis Avila-Saul Avila, San Elizario, def. James Glover-John Glover, Springtown, 6-2, 6-3; Cole Edwards-Zane McCurley, Wylie, def. Aaron Dominguez-Chris Machuca, Pecos, 6-0, 6-1; Ethan Curtis-Rahul Bhakta, Vernon, def. Grayson Peck-Matt Jasso, Levelland, 6-2, 6-2; Jace Ware-Adam Grocholski, Pampa, def. Carson Lansdowne-Trevor Weis, Midlothian Heritage, 6-1, 6-2.

QUARTERFINALS — Ramos-Moore, Andrews, def. Holmes-Byington, Wylie, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1; Windham-Helm, Midlothian Heritage, def. Navarette-De La Torre, San Elizario, 6-1, 7-6(5); Edwards-McCurley, Wylie, def. Avila-Avila, San Elizario, 6-0, 6-1; Ware-Grocholski, Midlothian Heritage, def. Curtis-Bhakta, Vernon, 6-2, 6-1.

SEMIFINALS — Ramos-Moore, Andrews, def. Windham-Helm, Midlothian Heritage, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; Ware-Grocholski, Pampa, def. Edwards-McCurley, Wylie, 7-6(3), 6-1.

THIRD PLACE — Windham-Helm, Midlothian Heritage, vs. Edwards-McCurley, Wylie.

FINAL — Ramos-Moore, Andrews, vs. Ware-Grocholski, Pampa.

GIRLS SINGLES

FIRST ROUND — Analeah Elias, Wylie, def. Ragan Harrell, Brownfield, 6-0, 6-0; Libby Tseng, Iowa Park, def. Nora Flores, Mt. View, 6-0, 6-0; Haylie Hunger, Midlothian Heritage, def. Kaiti Jeppesen, Andrews, 7-6, 6-0; Molly Nelson, Pampa, def. Shelby Rosenbaum, Kennedale, 7-5, 6-2; Naveah Galvan, Andrews, def. Mary Smith, Fabens, 6-0, 6-1; Bailey Deatherage, Alvarado, def. Trinity Miller, Wylie, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4; Taylor McGehee, Seminole, def. Jazzmyne Mannin, Springtown, 6-1, 6-1; Rachel Madden, Borger, def. Farai Mubvumba, Vernon, 6-2, 6-0.

QUARTERFINALS — Elias, Wylie, def. Tseng, Iowa Park, 6-0, 6-0; Hunger, Midlothian Hertiage, def. Nelson, Pampa, 6-0, 6-3; Deatherage, Alvarado, def. Galvan, Andrews, 6-1, 6-0; Madden, Borger, def. McGehee, Seminole, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

SEMIFINALS — Elias, Wylie, def. Hunger, Midlothian Heritage, 6-1, 6-3; Madden, Borger, def. Deatherage, Alvarado, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

THIRD PLACE — Hunger, Midlothian Heritage, vs. Deatherage, Alvarado.

FINAL — Elias, Wylie, vs. Madden, Borger.

GIRLS DOUBLES

FIRST ROUND — Elle Schroeder-Andrea McMillan, Wylie, def. Allison Landers-Lisa Darden, Lake Worth, 6-0, 6-2; Maddie Yates-Rae Darrow, Pampa, def. Abby Vargas-Jorden Young, Heritage, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Kaitlyn Cope-Chloe Crenshaw, Fort Stockton, def. Marcela Guevara-Paulina Morales, Seminole, 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-6(3); Kaylee Kahn-Jasmine Shrubs, Burkburnett, def. Priscilla Mendoza-Beverly Apodaca, Mt. View, 6-3, 6-0; Lauren Smith-Shyanne Durham, Andrews, def. Daniela Cano-Natalie Calderon, San Elizario, 6-3, 6-2; Caanon Gibbons-Jasmin Klassen, Seminole, def. Karson Parnell-Bre Burton, Pampa, 6-0, 6-0; Rylie Helm-Katie DeSelle, Midlothian Heritage, def. Reagan Carter-Sasha Kirsch, Mineral Wells, 6-4, 6-1; Hailey Parker-Madison Andrews, Wylie, def. Brooke Meinzer-Ellie Burdette, Vernon, 6-1, 6-0.

QUARTERFINALS — Schroeder-McMillan, Wylie, def. Yates-Darrow, Pampa, 6-2, 6-0; Kahn-Shrubs, Burkburnett, def. Cope-Crenshaw, Fort Stockton; Gibbons-Klassen, Seminole, def. Smith-Durham, Andrews, 6-4, 2-6, 6-0; Parker-Andrews, Wylie, def. Helm-DeSelle, Midlothian Heritage, 6-1, 6-1.

SEMIFINALS — Schroeder-McMillan, Wylie, def. Kahn-Shrubs, Burkburnett; Parker-Andrews, Wylie, def. Gibbons-Klassen, Seminole, 6-3, 6-2.

THIRD PLACE — Kahn-Shrubs, Burkburnett, vs. Gibbons-Klassen, Seminole.

FINAL — Schroeder-McMillan, Wylie, vs. Parker-Andrews, Wylie.

MIXED DOUBLES

FIRST ROUND — B.T. White-Sarah Castleberry, Vernon, def. Evan Thongvanh-Destiny Galvan Levelland, 6-1, 6-1; Mario Cano-Benny Juarez, San Elizario, def. Torre Torres-Delaney Porras, Monahans, 7-6(3), 7-5; Leighton Alford-Anthony Zhang, Wylie, def. Dustin Heitman-Katey Halcomb, Midlothian Heritage, 6-1, 6-4; Xander Karson-Makia Mierau, Pampa, def. Scott Malmberg-Sydnee Burdzilauskas, Springtown, 6-3, 6-0; Joseph Mayfield-Savannah Mayfield, Wichita Falls Hirschi, def. Jermiah Kilbane-Stephanie Macias, Lake Worth, 6-0, 6-2; Jacob Harper-Tatum Rondan, Andrews, def. Kameron Parks-Taylor May, Pampa, 6-0, 6-2; Jason Cabe-Holley Williams, Brownfield, def. Briley Green-Logan Smith, Glen Rose, 6-3, 6-4; Kaitlyn Hathorn-Davyn Williford, Wylie, def. Jacqueline Chacon-Marcos Juarez, Clint, 6-0, 6-0.

QUARTERFINALS — White-Castleberry, Vernon, def. Cano-Juarez, San Elizario, 6-1, 6-0; Alford-Zhang, Wylie, def. Karson-Mierau, Pampa, 6-2, 6-1; Harper-Rondan, Andrews, def. Mayfield-Mayfield, Wichita Falls Hirschi 7-5, 6-0; Hathorn-Williford, Wylie, def. Cabe-Williams, Brownfield, 6-0, 6-0.

SEMIFINALS — White-Castleberry, Vernon, def. Alford-Zhang, Wylie, 7-5, 6-4; Hathorn-Williford, Wylie, def. Harper-Rondan, Andrews, 6-1, 6-2.

THIRD PLACE — Alford-Zhang, Wylie, vs. Harper-Rondan, Andrews.

FINAL — White-Castleberry, Vernon, vs. Hathorn-Williford, Wylie.