6 advance to state tennis tournament
By Sam Waller
The Albany High School tennis team will be sending four entries to the state tournament, two of them for the second year in a row, after its performance this week at the Region II-2A tournament.
The Class 2A state tournament is scheduled for Tuesday-Wednesday, April 25-26 at Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio.
At the regional tournament, played Monday-Tuesday, April 10-11 at Richland Tennis Center in North Richland Hills, Albany claimed three titles, along with a second place and a fourth place out of six entries.
“We just want to keep increasing,” Albany coach M.J. Reneau said. “Last year we took nine players to regional and this year we took 10. Last year we took three to state and this year we’re taking six. We’re happy with the way the season is turning out and looking forward to getting better every year.”
Luke Marshall repeated as regional champion in boys singles, Cason Fairchild and London Fuentes won the boys doubles crown, and Ella Webb and Jaci Chapman won the girls doubles title.
“My girls doubles never split sets with anyone,” Reneau said. “They just dominated.”
Sidney Russell, a returning state qualifier, lost in the girls singles final for the second year in a row to drop into a playback, but won for the state berth.
The mixed doubles pair of Abi Hale and Jake Hail lost in the third-place match.
In the cases of Marshall, Webb-Chapman and Russell, the seedings held. Marshall and Webb-Chapman were both No. 1 seeds and Russell was No. 2.
Fuentes-Fairchild were seeded third, but defeated the No. 1 seeds Martinez-Armstrong of Wolfe City in the semifinals then avenged their district loss by beating second seeds Patanpatan-Patanpatan of Hawley in the championship match.
“Cason and London had an overall great tournament,” Reneau said. “They had a strong game. The last two matches went to three sets, but it seemed like they were always on top.”
Marshall defeated fourth seed Layton McAdams of Seymour in the semifinals and second seed Chase Curry of Archer City in the final.
Russell beat fourth seed Madeline Lee of Frost in the semifinals before falling to top seed Danielle Slack of Whitewright in the final.
Sidney played a good match,” Reneau said. “Whitewright was a 3A school that dropped down in the last realignment, and Slack was a state qualifier in 3A the last two years.”
The Hales opened with a first-round upset of second seeds Tisdale-Bell of Wolfe City in the first round, winning a third-set tibreaker, and reached the semifinals. They lost to top seeds Sinor-Card of Whitewright in the third-place match.
“Jake and Abi had a tough route but a great tournament,” Reneau said.
Albany’s second girls doubles pair of Chloe Daugherty and Brooklyn Abbate were the team’s only first-round casualty, falling to Kelley-Kelley of Bogata Rivercrest, who reached the final before losing to Webb-Chapman.
REGION II-2A TOURNAMENT
Girls Singles
Sidney Russell def. Jenna Klement, Era, 6-0, 6-1 in the first round; def. Heather Wright, Hico, 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; def. Madeline Lee, Frost, 7-5, 6-0 in the semifinals, lost to Danielle Slack, Whitewright, 2-6, 0-6 in the final; def. Macy Bayer, Muenster, 6-1, 6-3 in playback for state-tournament berth.
Girls Doubles
Ella Webb-Jaci Chapman def. Hatman-Colwell, Lindsay, 6-0, 6-1; def. Duval-Case, Bogata Rivercrest, 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; def. Hilbers-Marin, Archer City, 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals; def. Kelley-Kelley, Bogata Rivercrest, 6-1, 6-3 for championship.
Chloe Daugherty-Brooklyn Abbate lost to Kelley-Kelley. Bogata Rivercrest, 3-6, 2-6 in the first round.
Boys Singles
Luke Marshall def. Gavin Bishop, Bogata Rivercrest, 6-0, 6-0, in the first round; def. Luke Stroder, Frost, 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; def. Layton McAdams, Seymour, 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals; def. Chase Curry, Archer City, 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 for the championship.
Boys Doubles
London Fuentes-Cason Fairchild def. Thompson-Warren, Seymour, 6-3, 6-2 in the first round; def. Gutierrez-Andrade, Itasca, 6-0, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; def. Martinez-Armstrong, Wolfe City, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in the semifinals; def. Patanpatan-Patanpatan, Hawley, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 for the championship.
Mixed Doubles
Abi Hale-Jake Hale def. Tisdale-Bell, Wolfe City, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in the first round; def. Branson-Branson, Lipan, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarterfinals; lost to Schroeder-Mayo, Archer City, 1-6, 5-7 in the semifinals; lost to Sinor-Card, Whitewright, 4-6, 0-6 for third place.
