Openers
On Wednesday, August 24th, after a rain postponement and a six-hour match that included the lights going out, the Varsity Tennis Team defeated Wichita Falls Rider with a score of 10-8. This was a highly competitive match, with 7 of the 18 completed matches ending with tiebreakers.
Girls Line 1 Doubles Bryanna Orr and Kenley Germany split sets (2-6, 6-7), but lost in the tiebreaker. Girls Line 2 Doubles Elli Kate Bussmeir and Paige Federman also split sets (6-7, 6-2) and won with a tiebreak score of 10-7. Girls Line 3 Doubles Patrice Loftin and Natalie Nawrocki won their match (6-4, 6-2).
Boys Line 1 Doubles Ian Leslie and Hogan Posey split sets (6-3, 3-6) but lost in a close tiebreaker (11-13). Boys Line 2 Doubles Craig Mason and Ben Farmer also split sets (6-4, 4-6) but lost in another close tiebreaker (8-10). Boys Line 3 Doubles Jacob Heckathorn and Francois Britz lost their match (1-6, 0-6). Mixed Doubles Scott Mason and Eleanor Jack won their match (6-3, 6-0). With 10 matches necessary for the win, the team headed into singles competition with a score of 3-4.
Winning their matches for the girls were Line 2 Elli Kate Bussmeir (6-3, 3-6, 10-8); Line 4 Paige Federman (6-2, 6-4) and Line 6 Gracie Heydman (7-5, 6-3). Winning their matches for the boys were Line 2 Scott Mason (2-6, 7-6, 10-6); Line 3 Hogan Posey (6-2, 6-3); and Line 5 Craig Mason (6-4, 6-4).
With Aledo up 9-8, all eyes were on sophomores Jacob Heckathorn and Eleanor Jack as they finished their matches. Aledo was ahead in both matches; both matches were at match point and Heckathorn finished first (6-4, 7-5) for the Bearcat win.
On Tuesday, August 30th, the team took on Northwest High School, new to our District this year, and earned a shut-out victory over the Texans with a score of 14-0.
Girls Doubles easily won their matches, with Line 1 Bryanna Orr and Kenley German winning 6-0, 6-0, Line 2 Elli Kate Bussmeir and Paige Federman winning 6-0, 6-0 and Line 3 Natalie Nawrocki and Patrice Loftfin winning 6-1, 6-3. Boys Doubles Line 2 Craig Mason and Ben Farmer won 6-2, 6-0 and Line 3 Jacob Heckathorn and Francois Britz won 6-3, 6-2. Line 1 Ian Leslie and Hogan Posey split sets, (6-4, 1-6), but won in the tiebreaker (10-8). Mixed Doubles Scott Mason and Eleanor Jack split sets (6-1, 4-6), but also won in their tiebreaker, (10-3).
Girls Singles Lines 1-4 won their matches and clinched the win for the Bearcats. Boys Lines 1-3 were allowed to finish and also added to our winning tally. Line 1 Ian Leslie played for over two hours, split sets (7-6 with a 7-3 tiebreaker, 1-6, tiebreak 11-9) and ended the last match of the night for our 14th win.
The team ended their pre-season play with a record of 6-2, with losses only to Abilene Cooper and Abilene High School. Their record currently stands at 8-2, with 2-0 in District play. The team will travel to Saginaw on 9/6/22 for the next District match.