KHS faced tough draw in Corsicana

GET IT, TRENT! — Kilgore senior Trent Raby (above) and the Bulldogs weathered the rain last weekend in the Corsicana tournament. File photo by Lester Murray Rain plagued the Kilgore High School baseball and softball teams in local tournaments, and affected the KHS tennis team, as well.

The varsity tennis program traveled to Corsicana — and eventually to Ennis, as coach Jason Maroney said — to compete in the Corsicana tournament on Friday.

“We avoided rain much of the day,” Maroney explained, “but it finally came in at about 3 p.m., putting a halt on our matches. By that point, we were already starting semifinals, so we traveled north to Ennis and finished the tournament on their indoor courts.”

The boys doubles team for Kilgore, Josh Way and Eric Applegate, made it to the semifinals before losing. Third-place matches were not played, Maroney noted, and Kilgore would have played Midlothian for third, had there been time.

“This tournament is one of our more challenging tournaments of the year,” Maroney said. “It’s a 16-team tournament and included Waco Midway, two from Corsicana, Texas High, Ennis, Amarillo Palo Duro, Belton, Denison, Groesbeck, Grace, Lindale, Midlothian, Mesquite Poteet, Mansfield Summit and Sherman.”

Kade Bittick of KHS lost to Mitch Hollingsworth of Belton, 3-8, in the first round, and then bounced back with an 8-5 win over Ennis’ Michael Nicklas. Bittick lost to Kendall Beggs of Lindale, though, 2-8.

Also in boys singles, Trent Raby lost to two-seeded Damian Shelton of Sherman, 1-8, then defeated Grace’s Tyler Forehand, 8-2.

In girls singles play, Chelsey Cox lost her first match, a 4-8 loss to Texas High’s Wynne Tidwell. But then she won two in a row, beating Palo Duro’s An Nguyen, 8-2, and Corsicana’s Alyssa Moore, 8-4. The finals were rained out.

Also playing for Kilgore in girls singles was Shivani Patel. Shivani lost to Mesquite Poteet’s Megan Grigsby, 1-8, but then beat Corsicana’s Iris Romero, 8-5.

Way and Applegate won their first two matches, beating a Sherman team, 8-6, and a Midway team, 7-5, 6-4, before losing in the semis to Ennis’ Patrick Larson and Graham,. Larson is the son of the News Herald’s own J. Louise Larson.

Also in boys doubles, Jody Madding and Jeremy Berryhill of Kilgore defeated Midlothian’s Eaton and Tims duo, 8-6, before losing to Corsicana’s Painter and Phinney, 5-7, 4-6.

Shawna Bass and Naomi Worden had a bye for KHS in the first round of girls doubles competition, but lost to top-seeded Sawyer and Stricker of Midway, 4-6, 1-6.

In mixed doubles play, Chance Osteen and Zonera Javed of Kilgore lost to Marlin and Almanza of Ennis, 6- 8, but then defeated Palo Duro’s Zuniga/ Thammavong team, 8-1.

Last week was also the annual junior varsity tournament here, played last Thursday. In the tournament in addition to KHS were Tyler Lee, All-Saints, Jacksonville, Center, Lindale, and Whitehouse. Lee won first place with 42 points, and All- Saints was second (32). KHS placed fourth with 18 points.

“We did have a few kids win awards in the boys singles and doubles division,” Maroney said.

Nathan Barnfield and Devon Tankersley won boys doubles for Kilgore for the second straight week: the two had won the boys doubles division at Terrell the week before. Weston Ramsey and Nick Modisette of KHS also teamed up well in boys doubles for KHS, and won the consolation final.

Daniel Modisette competed in boys singles, and also won consolation.

Barnfield and Tankersley had a first-round bye, then won three straight, beating a Whitehouse team, 8-0, an All-Saints team, 8-1, and the Lee team of Hill and Berry, 8-6, in the finals.

Ramsey and Nick Modisette lost their opener to a Lee team, 3-8, but then didn’t lose again, beating a Center team, then two teammates, and then beating Jacksonville’s Hugghins and Brockelman, 8-6, in the consolation final.

Daniel Modisette also lost his first one and didn’t lose again. He fell to Colton Dunkin of Lee in round one, 2-8, but then defeated Center’s Dakota Woodard, 8-1, beat All-Saints’ Nick Beall, 8- 1, and Lindale’s Matthew Kinsey, also 8-1.