’Dogs finish season with 14-4A title, regional trip

CONCLUDING A GREAT FALL SEASON — The Kilgore High School tennis team spelled out, with several tennis balls, their biggest achievement of the fall season, an unbeaten run through District 14-4A. The tennis team recently got back from the regional competition in Grapevine, and while they didn’t have a high finish, they did compete against some of the best programs in the state. The Bulldogs will return later in the school year for a more individually oriented spring season. They were assigned with competing in one of the toughest regions in the state, and while they didn’t finish well enough to move on to the state tournament, the Kilgore High School tennis team still accomplished a few special things in the recently-concluded fall season.

The Bulldogs competed over the weekend in the Class 4A, Region II tournament in Grapevine against several teams that likely could have each won other regions.

Kilgore was seeded No. 8 as the tournament began, and finished in that same slot.

“The seven teams in front of us were all ranked in the top 18 in the state,” KHS coach Jason Maroney said. “On Friday, we played two teams that were about as opposite as they could get.”

Kilgore faced Dallas Pinkston first, then No. 1 in the state Highland Park. Kilgore lost only five games to Pinkston, then met the Scots.

“It was a fun but humbling experience,” Maroney said.

Kilgore was getting a win in mixed doubles, but the match wasn’t completed because the Scots reached 10 wins before the match was over.

Saturday, Kilgore faced off against Corsicana and Frisco, two teams that the Bulldogs had met earlier in the fall.

“The kids gave a good effort, but we didn’t play them as well as we did back in September,” Maroney noted. “I’m still very proud of what this team has accomplished this season. We beat some teams that we haven’t beaten before, went undefeated in district, and then placed higher in the regional tournament than we had in the last four years.”

The tennis team, unlike other sports, actually has two seasons each school year, and the spring season will begin in mid-January. Kilgore’s junior varsity team is playing in the 14- 4A JV tournament this week in Lindale.

Against Pinkston on Friday, Kilgore swept the boys doubles competition. Josh Way and Eric Applegate beat the Pinkston team of Miguel Torres and Omar Umanzor, 6-0, 6-0. Josh Bailey and Jeremy Berryhill defeated Duran and Silva, 6-1, 6-0, and Kilgore’s Trent Raby and Jose Tapia beat Robles and Vargas, 6-0, 6-0.

In girls doubles also against Pinkston, it was another Kilgore sweep. Naomi Worden and Shawna Bass beat Hernandez and Lopez, 6-0, 6-0; Caitlind Trowbridge and Meredith Gregg defeated Ana Lara and Nancy Alvarez, 6-1, 6-0; and Monte Broussard and Shivani Patel beat Selena Ibarra and Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-0.

The mixed doubles team of Chelsey Cox and Jody Madding beat Laud and Patterson, 6-0, 6-0.

Way and Bailey each won their singles matches for Kilgore. Way beat Torres, 6-0, 6- 0, and Bailey beat Umanzor, 6-1, 6-0.

In girls singles, Trowbridge beat Lara, 6-0, 6-0; Bass beat Alvarez, 6-0, 6-0; and Gregg beat Ibarra by that same score.

Kilgore defeated Dallas Pinkston, 10-0. Against Highland Park, KHS lost all 10 matches. Against Corsicana, the Bulldogs got one win: Trowbridge and Gregg beat Smith and Crowe, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The Bulldogs won three against Frisco: Raby and Tapia beat Dodson and Deno, 6-3, 2- 6, 6-2; Cox and Madding won their mixed doubles matchup against a team of Anwar and Kinacic, 7-5, 6-3; and Bailey won his singles matchup against Parker Kim, 6-2, 6-2.

Maroney is assisted by Trey Miller.