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Team tennis squads set for regional tourneys
  
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By Mike Jones
A quartet of Montgomery County high school team tennis squads are getting ready to go after state berths this weekend at a pair of regional tournaments.
District 14-5A champion College Park and league runner-up The Woodlands will be competing in the Region II-5A event in Tyler Friday and Saturday. College Park is expected to be the top seed at the event, with TWHS a favorite to be the second seed. Should the seedings prove to be true, the south county rivals could face off against each other Saturday in the regional final with a berth at the UIL State Tournament on the line. The state tourney is next weekend in Austin.
On Saturday, the Cavs downed Georgetown 12-2 and A&M Consolidated 14-5 in warmup matches in College Station.
“This should secure the No. 1 seeding for the regional tournament,” CPHS head coach Henry Garza said. “This is a first for us, but the kids are match-tested and ready to reach for the goal we set at the beginning of the year of going to state.”
The Cavaliers are 10-1-2 on the season and are currently ranked No. 10 in the state.
District 18-4A champion Montgomery, meanwhile, will be joined by league runner-up Willis at the Region III-4A event in Katy. The Bears have won the regional the past three seasons in dominating fashion, and again are expected to raise the crown and earn a fourth straight state berth. Willis, which has made it to regionals four years in a row, advanced to the second round last year and is hoping to go further this season.
In preparation for the regional competition, College Park has competed against No. 9 state-ranked Memorial, No. 8 Katy Taylor, No. 7 Clear Lake, No. 25 Georgetown and A&M Consolidated.
Against Memorial, the Cavs led 4-3 after doubles before the match was halted due to darkness knotted at 8-8. College Park then traveled to Katy Taylor and trailed 5-2 after doubles play.
“At that point I was hoping we would just play tough and have a respectable score at the end,” Garza said.
College Park proceeded to win 8 of the 12 singles matches to earn the upset and drop Taylor to No. 13.
“We had to win the final three matches to win and we did,” Garza said. “Freshman Logan Smith clinched the victory with a third-set tiebreak win at line six singles.”
College Park then faced off against Region III favorite Clear Lake and trailed once again 5-2 after doubles play. This time the Cavaliers couldn’t make up all the ground in singles and lost a tough 10-9 decision.
The Cavaliers are led by senior captains Logan Lorson, Daniel Nguyen, Makenzie Doran, Katie Willis and Natalie House. The team also has a strong group of juniors in Madison Rabson, Kristen Carroll, Brooke Palmer, Jeff Change, Paxton Lamb, Austin Mallet, Sean Hayes and Federico Paredes. Weston Cassady, Nate Lammons and Naveen Beasley are the team’s trio of sophomores, while Nick Naumann, Logan Smith, Marc Limsiaco, Rebecca Roy, Gia Poynter, Carol Champion and Amulya Sajja are freshmen standouts.
No. 11 state-ranked Montgomery, which is 16-10 on the season, has not lost to a 4A team this season and has close losses to several top-15 5A state-ranked squads. The Bears, who should be named the top seed when the III-4A seedings are announced today, will be the highest-ranked team at the event. San Marcos is No. 21, Foster No. 22 and Friendswood No. 25.
“We have a real strong girls side and the boys are much improved,” Montgomery head coach Jim Moore said. “Everybody is eligible and healthy. I feel like if we play real well we have a good shot at winning. We can’t take anything for granted. They have to go out there and perform.”
The Bears competing at regionals will be Bailey Van Dyke, Carly Riney, Brittany Goldman, Cori Bloh, Kim Depew, Ashley Emens, Lizzie Ulam, Taylor Hadash, Lacey Krusmark, Patrick Morales, Carson Doty, John Willis, Brad Hinkle, Kyle Wright, Dru Neumann, Kameron Clements, Johnathan Sanderson and Jordan Fox.
The team leaders are the two seniors, Emens and Neumann.
“They’ve been awesome,” Moore said.
Last year, Montgomery won its quarterfinal and semifinal regional matches 10-0 before beating Seven Lakes 10-1 in the final.
The Woodlands fell to eventual regional champion Klein 10-6 in the regional quarterfinals last year after falling to Georgetown 10-5 in the 2006 quarterfinals.
“This is the best season we have had going into the Regional Tournament since I started coaching at The Woodlands High,” TWHS head coach Reef Merhi said. “This year we are looking to take things much farther with a chance to compete all the way to the end.”
Merhi said he’s enjoyed the the south county success this year.
“It is very exciting to see the success both high schools in The Woodlands have had this year,” Merhi said. “ We are not only the best two teams in the district but arguably the best two in the region. Tennis has really picked up in town and we owe a lot of it to the great efforts of the players, local coaches and teaching pros, and the parents who help get their kids involved in the sport at a young age.”
Competing at the regional for the Highlanders will be Rachael Reed, Jackie Fisher, Sandra Ibarra, Sydney Pantuso, Hannah Warren, Hannah Kutsche, Zack Martinez, David Johns, Erik Tyler, Sean Malone, Jon Sandell, Jeff Bull, Alix Cain, Marilyn McKee, Erik Landry and T.J. Stroud.
Willis got ready for regionals with a 10-9 victory over Conroe Monday in a warmup match.
“I think we’re as ready as we can be,” Willis head coach Chad Baron said. “We’re going to go out and give it our best shot like we do every year. The kids are ready to play. We’re hoping we can get a real focused effort on Friday morning and afternoon so we can get to Saturday (semifinals and finals).”
Competing at the regional for the Wildkats will be Ryan Gesford, Teaghan Avrett, Thomas Borum, Juan Forero, Jonathan Goodall, David Forero, Justin Goodall, Jeff Goodall, Austin Camardelle, Michael McKenery, Bianca Perez, Lauren Martin, Ande Brenckman, Lisa Slaughter, Becca Perkins, Megan Sarlo, Savannah Stachowiak and Alyssa Williams. Jeff Goodall and Brenckman are the Wildkats’ two seniors. Each will be competing in their fourth regional tournament.
At last year’s regional, Willis beat Nederland 10-5 in the first round before falling to Friendswood 10-2 in the quarterfinals.
Region Tennis
II-5A Tournament
Who: College Park, The Woodlands are among the teams at the event
When: Friday, Saturday
Where: Tyler
III-4A Tournament
Who: Montgomery, Willis are among the teams at the event
When: Friday, Saturday
Where: Katy
District 14-5A champion College Park and league runner-up The Woodlands will be competing in the Region II-5A event in Tyler Friday and Saturday. College Park is expected to be the top seed at the event, with TWHS a favorite to be the second seed. Should the seedings prove to be true, the south county rivals could face off against each other Saturday in the regional final with a berth at the UIL State Tournament on the line. The state tourney is next weekend in Austin.
On Saturday, the Cavs downed Georgetown 12-2 and A&M Consolidated 14-5 in warmup matches in College Station.
“This should secure the No. 1 seeding for the regional tournament,” CPHS head coach Henry Garza said. “This is a first for us, but the kids are match-tested and ready to reach for the goal we set at the beginning of the year of going to state.”
The Cavaliers are 10-1-2 on the season and are currently ranked No. 10 in the state.
District 18-4A champion Montgomery, meanwhile, will be joined by league runner-up Willis at the Region III-4A event in Katy. The Bears have won the regional the past three seasons in dominating fashion, and again are expected to raise the crown and earn a fourth straight state berth. Willis, which has made it to regionals four years in a row, advanced to the second round last year and is hoping to go further this season.
In preparation for the regional competition, College Park has competed against No. 9 state-ranked Memorial, No. 8 Katy Taylor, No. 7 Clear Lake, No. 25 Georgetown and A&M Consolidated.
Against Memorial, the Cavs led 4-3 after doubles before the match was halted due to darkness knotted at 8-8. College Park then traveled to Katy Taylor and trailed 5-2 after doubles play.
“At that point I was hoping we would just play tough and have a respectable score at the end,” Garza said.
College Park proceeded to win 8 of the 12 singles matches to earn the upset and drop Taylor to No. 13.
“We had to win the final three matches to win and we did,” Garza said. “Freshman Logan Smith clinched the victory with a third-set tiebreak win at line six singles.”
College Park then faced off against Region III favorite Clear Lake and trailed once again 5-2 after doubles play. This time the Cavaliers couldn’t make up all the ground in singles and lost a tough 10-9 decision.
The Cavaliers are led by senior captains Logan Lorson, Daniel Nguyen, Makenzie Doran, Katie Willis and Natalie House. The team also has a strong group of juniors in Madison Rabson, Kristen Carroll, Brooke Palmer, Jeff Change, Paxton Lamb, Austin Mallet, Sean Hayes and Federico Paredes. Weston Cassady, Nate Lammons and Naveen Beasley are the team’s trio of sophomores, while Nick Naumann, Logan Smith, Marc Limsiaco, Rebecca Roy, Gia Poynter, Carol Champion and Amulya Sajja are freshmen standouts.
No. 11 state-ranked Montgomery, which is 16-10 on the season, has not lost to a 4A team this season and has close losses to several top-15 5A state-ranked squads. The Bears, who should be named the top seed when the III-4A seedings are announced today, will be the highest-ranked team at the event. San Marcos is No. 21, Foster No. 22 and Friendswood No. 25.
“We have a real strong girls side and the boys are much improved,” Montgomery head coach Jim Moore said. “Everybody is eligible and healthy. I feel like if we play real well we have a good shot at winning. We can’t take anything for granted. They have to go out there and perform.”
The Bears competing at regionals will be Bailey Van Dyke, Carly Riney, Brittany Goldman, Cori Bloh, Kim Depew, Ashley Emens, Lizzie Ulam, Taylor Hadash, Lacey Krusmark, Patrick Morales, Carson Doty, John Willis, Brad Hinkle, Kyle Wright, Dru Neumann, Kameron Clements, Johnathan Sanderson and Jordan Fox.
The team leaders are the two seniors, Emens and Neumann.
“They’ve been awesome,” Moore said.
Last year, Montgomery won its quarterfinal and semifinal regional matches 10-0 before beating Seven Lakes 10-1 in the final.
The Woodlands fell to eventual regional champion Klein 10-6 in the regional quarterfinals last year after falling to Georgetown 10-5 in the 2006 quarterfinals.
“This is the best season we have had going into the Regional Tournament since I started coaching at The Woodlands High,” TWHS head coach Reef Merhi said. “This year we are looking to take things much farther with a chance to compete all the way to the end.”
Merhi said he’s enjoyed the the south county success this year.
“It is very exciting to see the success both high schools in The Woodlands have had this year,” Merhi said. “ We are not only the best two teams in the district but arguably the best two in the region. Tennis has really picked up in town and we owe a lot of it to the great efforts of the players, local coaches and teaching pros, and the parents who help get their kids involved in the sport at a young age.”
Competing at the regional for the Highlanders will be Rachael Reed, Jackie Fisher, Sandra Ibarra, Sydney Pantuso, Hannah Warren, Hannah Kutsche, Zack Martinez, David Johns, Erik Tyler, Sean Malone, Jon Sandell, Jeff Bull, Alix Cain, Marilyn McKee, Erik Landry and T.J. Stroud.
Willis got ready for regionals with a 10-9 victory over Conroe Monday in a warmup match.
“I think we’re as ready as we can be,” Willis head coach Chad Baron said. “We’re going to go out and give it our best shot like we do every year. The kids are ready to play. We’re hoping we can get a real focused effort on Friday morning and afternoon so we can get to Saturday (semifinals and finals).”
Competing at the regional for the Wildkats will be Ryan Gesford, Teaghan Avrett, Thomas Borum, Juan Forero, Jonathan Goodall, David Forero, Justin Goodall, Jeff Goodall, Austin Camardelle, Michael McKenery, Bianca Perez, Lauren Martin, Ande Brenckman, Lisa Slaughter, Becca Perkins, Megan Sarlo, Savannah Stachowiak and Alyssa Williams. Jeff Goodall and Brenckman are the Wildkats’ two seniors. Each will be competing in their fourth regional tournament.
At last year’s regional, Willis beat Nederland 10-5 in the first round before falling to Friendswood 10-2 in the quarterfinals.
Region Tennis
II-5A Tournament
Who: College Park, The Woodlands are among the teams at the event
When: Friday, Saturday
Where: Tyler
III-4A Tournament
Who: Montgomery, Willis are among the teams at the event
When: Friday, Saturday
Where: Katy
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