KHS fall tennis lineup set

Photo by Lester Murray TOP DOG — Kilgore's Trevar Compton (above) returns as the No. 1-seeded boys player for the Bulldogs, as the KHS tennis team readies for the fall season. Kilgore opens the season at home Saturday morning, Aug. 23 against Gladewater. Kilgore High School tennis players have been getting to see each other quite a bit lately.

That's because head coach Jason Maroney, entering his third school year heading up the KHS tennis program, has been putting the players through summer junior league, practices and the ladder tournament in order to prepare for the upcoming fall season.

Regular practice for varsity and junior varsity resumes on Monday, and the kids are preparing for their season opener on Saturday, Aug. 23 here at 9 a.m. against Gladewater, two days before school begins. The season opener for the JV will be at home on Sept. 11 against All-Saints.

This year, fall tennis will be a challenge, Maroney said recently.

"It is by far the toughest fall schedule that we have had since I've been here," he said. "The month of September will be very challenging."

Among the dates on the KHS tennis calender: a quad-match at Corsicana, also with Ennis; another quad match against Sulphur Springs and Lindale on Sept. 20; and two important District 14-4A dates on Sept. 23 (at Lindale) and Sept. 30 (here against Whitehouse).

Kilgore won its district in the more team-oriented fall season last year, and also did well in the individual-play-focused spring season.

The Bulldogs have a strong lineup returning this season. No. 1 players Trevar Compton and Haley Smith both return. Josh Madding, Josh Bailey, Josh Way and Kade Bittick round out the top five boys, while Callie Cunyus, Emily Spence, Meredith Gregg and Chelsey Cox fall in behind Smith for the top five girls.

Other boys players returning are Eric Applegate, Jeremy Berryhill, Chance Grantham, Trent Raby, Chance Osteen, Jose Tapia, Brian Park, Daniel Modisette, Devon Tankersley, Nathan Barnfield, Matt Horton, Weston Ramsey, Dylan Sanders and Daniel Medford.

Returning for the girls are Caitlind Trowbridge, Shelby Duncan, Naomi Worden, Shawna Bass, Courtney Farnsworth, Monte Broussard, Zonera Javed, Allison Guthrie, Taylor Ward, Linsey Cardoso, Shivani Patel, Gayla Williams, Chelsie Sartor, Ashley Garcia, Marina Linkinhoker, Kayla Zevely, Sarah Aldredge, Haley Colley, Porchia Harman and Melody Land.