KHS qualifies 6 for regionals

KHS qualifies 6 for regionals
Cunyus, Gill win title; Deen, Broussard, Holmes and Welch all qualify, too
By MITCH LUCAS
sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

Photos by Kathy Bowden

When the regional tennis tournament begins on April 26, six Kilgore High School netters will be there.

They ensured that on Wednesday, when Jesse Deen, Madison Gill, Micki Cunyus, Sawyer Broussard, Brent Holmes and Mason Welch wrapped up competition in the District 17-4A tournament (on their home court).

Gill and Cunyus - little surprise here - won the girls doubles championship. The seniors will go to regionals together again for a shot at playing in the state tournament. Cunyus and Gill won the district title on Wednesday by defeating the Henderson High School team of Phenix and Phenix. Henderson's team had to win a playback match - kind of a challenge/rematch system under UIL tennis rules - but also qualified.

In boys singles, Deen erased a disappointing finish to last year's district tournament, where he narrowly missed qualifying for regionals, and earned a spot in this year's regional event.

Deen lost to Nacogdoches' Drew Knowles, 6-3, 6-1, in the boys singles finals, but then won a playback over teammates Sawyer Broussard, 6-3, 6-2, to qualify.

Broussard, who also played very well in the tournament, will head to regionals as an alternate.

The team of Holmes and Welch will also be alternates at the event.

Kilgore tennis is coached by Stan McMillan, and effectively has two seasons every school year: the more team-oriented fall season, and the more individual-oriented spring campaign.

KHS hosted its first district tournament on new courts that were installed this summer, and did very well.

Nacogdoches took overall first place in the tournament, scoring 480 points. Kilgore finished second with 455, and Jacksonville finished third.

In girls play, Jacksonville finished first with 240 points. Nac was second with 220, and Kilgore was third with a 205. Others: Henderson fourth (165), Whitehouse fifth (160), Pine Tree sixth (60), Hallsville seventh (35) and Marshall eighth (5).

In boys play, Nac had the most points (260), followed by Kilgore (250). Holding true to the tournament's form, Jacksonville was third (185), Pine Tree fourth (160), Henderson fifth (110), Hallsville sixth (95), Marshall seventh (85) and Whitehouse eighth (65).

Should any or all of the KHS players qualify, the state Class 4A tennis tournament is May 9-10 in Austin.

GOOD TOURNAMENT - The Kilgore High School tennis team qualified six players for the upcoming regional tennis tournament in Huntsville. Madison Gill (above) and Micki Cunyus (left), Kilgore's dynamic girls doubles team, won the District 17-4A title on Wednesday, and Jesse Deen (not pictured) was second in boys singles competition. Sawyer Broussard (right) qualified as an alternate for the regional tourney, as did KHS boys doubles team of Brent Holmes and Mason Welch.