As tennis fans gear up for an exciting season, recent tournaments have highlighted some impressive performances from both JV and Varsity tennis athletes. The Shiner Invitational, Brackenridge Invitational, and Cuero Invitational spotlighted both individual and team talent.
The Brackenridge Invitational, on February 27, started a series of tournaments for the Varsity squad. Mia Salazar topped the day off by going undefeated with a 5-0 record and a 1st place finish. Dreyson Knebel took 2nd place with a commendable 4-1 finish.
Spencer Pierce found himself in a more challenging position, ending the tournament with a 1-1 record, but contributed to a solid team record of 10-2.
“We are continuing to improve each week, but we’ve been battling the weather conditions, too,” Coach Edgar Vander Stucken said. “It’s hard to practice in 25 mph winds or when courts are wet from thunderstorms. We will continue to get the most out of every practice opportunity and get ready for the District Championships in mid-April.”
The Cuero Invitational on March 6 echoed the success of the Brackenridge event, with Salazar continuing her unbeaten streak at 5-0, once again taking 1st place. Knebel mirrored his earlier performance with a solid 4-1 result, while Pierce found himself in a better position with a 3-1 record, placing 3rd in this competitive tournament.
The challenges ramped up, however, for the varsity players at the Shiner Invitational on March 12. Despite Salazar and Knebel’s commendable 3-1 and 4-1 records respectively, the competition was stiff. At the completion of the tournament the team stands at 14-9, with a season record of 90-39 and medal count of 20. Next up for Varsity Tennis is East Central Tournament on March 27.
The JV Tennis Squad dominated the court at the Shiner Invitational. Lauren Leslie-Mees clinched a 1st place finish with an impressive 4-0 record. The February 26 tournament also showed off the talent of William Weissmiller and Jason Walter whose combined efforts secured a gold medal in the JV Boys Doubles division. SK Root also performed well, finishing with a record of 3-1 in the JV Girls Singles division for a silver medal.
Switching focus to the Cuero Invitational, Leslie- Meesonceagainplayed her way to another perfect 4-0 record. Alongside her, Root managed to finish 3-1, earning a silver medal, keeping the competition fierce.
The JV players set the tone for the remainder of the season, and will be back at home on March 31 at the Cuero courts.
