As the Tyler Lee tennis team walked to the bus on Tuesday morning, their fellow Robert E. Lee High School students greeted them.
The band was playing, and the cheerleaders were cheering them on.
The Red Raider netters were preparing to make the trek to Waco for the Class 6A Region II Tennis Tournament.
“For us, it was expected but it’s still exciting,” Lee tennis coach Charlie Sizemore said. “The Region II Tournament in 6A is like a state tournament, so we know it’s going to be a challenge.”
The tournament is Wednesday and Thursday at the Waco Regional Tennis Center.
Senior Claire Fisher — an Abilene Christian signee — and junior Lilly Deatherage will compete in girls’ doubles after sweeping through the District 11-6A Tournament without dropping a single game. The duo is 42-3 on the season.
“The tournament has five solid teams from The Woodlands, Klein, Austin Vandegrift, Plano West and Lee,” Sizemore said. “It’s going to be a fight.”
“I’m really happy because we have a good group of kids going to regionals,” Fisher said. “I really think all of us can make it to the finals and have a good chance at state.”
The top two finishers in each event advances to the state tournament May 16-17 in College Station.
Last year, Deatherage competed in mixed doubles with senior David Pirtle. This season, Pirtle is teaming with freshman Grace von Eschenbach.
“It’s been really fun,” Pirtle said. “She’s an amazing partner.”
Pirtle and von Eschenbach defeated Longview’s team (6-3, 6-3) in the 11-6A title match.
Senior Nathan Drain and junior Evan von Eschenbach are teaming up in boys’ doubles.
“They’ve had an extremely great year,” Sizemore said. “They are 27-2 this spring with the only two losses coming to Texas High and a good Lindale team. They’ve knocked off The Woodlands twice in straight sets, and they beat a Class 5A A&M Consolidated team that has been to state the last two years.”
“Our team is really excited,” Drain said. “We’re definitely no strangers to competition. We’re really excited to see what we can go do for Tyler Lee in Waco.”
“I think we can do pretty well at regionals, and hopefully we can make it to state,” von Eschnebach said.
Junior Cole von Eschenbach and junior Jack Nowlin are both headed to regionals in boys’ singles. Cole von Eschenbach won over teammate Nowlin in a thrilling three-setter in the boys singles final at district (4-6, 6-3, 6-3).
“They have a legitimate shot too,” Sizemore said. “Everybody has a legitimate shot to get out, but it’s going to be tough. It’s going to come down to who comes ready to play.
“We’ve been underdogs all year through our region, so I want them to go there and have fun and compete, especially these seniors. I want them to go out with a bang.”
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