All For One

It's all about teamwork. That's the name of the game when it comes to high school fall tennis competition.
While various schools' individual tennis stars shine throughout the spring, fall tennis is focused on the total team effort. Carefully constructing their lineup, 5A and 4A fall tennis programs assemble their court aces in a way that gives them the best chance to finish at or near the top in district competition.
Unlike other sports, only the top two tennis teams earn a spot to regional competition. It gets even harder from there, as only the regional champion moves on to state.
Local teams will vie for a regional appearance, where they'll face perennial powers from the Dallas area, as well as West Texas, the Panhandle and Wichita Falls. Only the strong will survive and earn a trip to state. Here's a list of the best from this area that will chase the dream of reaching the Final Four.

Southlake Carroll
Over the past three seasons since taking over the program, Carroll coach Norm Smith has seen his Dragons jump from the Texas Tennis Coaches Association's final rankings of No. 15 to 11 and then to No. 8 last season. This year, Carroll wants to best that ranking, but more importantly, it wants to earn its first-ever trip to the fall team tennis state tournament. Smith said he likes his team's chances.
"The fact that we've been to regionals so often and we know what to expect there helps," said Smith, whose team reached the 5A Region I semifinals last season before losing 10-8 to Lubbock Coronado. "We realize that only one team goes to state and that makes it that much tougher.
"But if you can win this region, you're good enough to win the state tournament," he said.
Carroll returns the top three boys (Stewart Pittman, Eric Berg and Ryan McClanahan) and top five girls (Megan Horter, Taylor Jurica, Christine Boissevaine, Lyndsay Walter, Emily Bachinskas) from last year's team. Although they lost a few guys and fewer girls to graduation, an incoming freshman superchamp for the boys and other talent for the girls should boost the team.
Depth, as well as a schedule that features some of the best teams in the state (Abilene, Plano West, Highland Park, Wichita Falls), should give the Dragons an edge come tournament time.
"I would challenge our schedule with anybody's around," Smith said. "It's got to be as good if not better."

Grapevine
With Carroll in the same district as the Mustangs, Grapevine was always the bridesmaid, never the bride when it came to the 5-5A crown in recent years. Now, with Carroll moved to District 6-5A, the Mustangs have their eyes set on the district prize, but they also want to advance further than the regional quarterfinal round they reached last year.
A core of players returning with valuable experience could give coach Angel Martinez's team a shot this fall to achieve just that.
"For years, I've been saying that we have a young team, and now I
can finally say we're an old team," said Martinez, whose team finished ranked No. 24 in the state last fall. "We're going to reload and we're going to be really good."
Alex Hanno was Grapevine's top loss on the boys side, but nearly the entire girls team, including leaders Genevieve Vetter, Haley Holt, Stephanie Cloud, and Lindsay Ward, return to lead the Mustangs this fall. However, Charlie Sauer, Taylor Cooper, Conner Wark and incoming freshman superchamp Tyler Tisdale will help equal out things out on the boys side.
"Really, it's about depth," Martinez said. "On both sides we're pretty equal and pretty balanced, which is nice to have.
"Our goal is to make it through the regional tournament," he said. "We've been there eight years in a row and we want to make it nine."

Aledo
After a 2007 fall season that saw the Bearcats reach the 4A Region I quarterfinals and finish off with a No. 24 ranking, Aledo returns looking strong once again. Winning the District 8-4A title in both the fall and spring, the Bearcats have plenty of reason to feel confident entering its new district (6-4A).
"This is probably one of the best tennis teams we've had," said Barbara Russell, who co-coaches the Aledo team with Carl Richter. "We've already got a strong reputation as a team."
Teammates and siblings Maxcey Kite (senior) and Sam Kite (junior) are leaders for the girls and boys sides, respectively, while others are expected to produce for the team as well. Though they lost some seniors from last year, the Bearcats have several solid juniors that are ready to help lead the way.
Aledo boasts three USTA superchamp players on the boys side and two superchamps on the girls side. Russell said that the depth is balanced and that the team should be ready to take on the challenges of a tough schedule.
"I think we're good all around," she said. "I've had some seasons where the girls will do great and come off the court, then the guys will follow and it's like, 'Oh my,' and you're concerned. Or the other way around is true. But this year I really think we're strong in all areas."

Marcus
Marauders coach Kelly Langdon is bracing for a new District 6-5A schedule that still includes Coppell (No. 13 in state last fall) but now adds Carroll (No. 8). However, with a strong contingent of girls players returning and some boys players with promise, Langdon is hopeful his team can possibly improve on its No. 24 ranking in 2007.
"I think that coming off last year ... the expectations are high, not only with the coaching staff, but with the kids," Langdon said of his team's school-record 17 wins in the fall, team tennis trip to region and spring tennis individual trip to state by current senior Emily Mathis. "They expect to do well every time they step on the court."
Mathis is the legitimate No. 1 for the Marcus girls, but with teammates Danielle Stromquist, Whitney Hobson and Heather Connolly, the girls should prove a real strength for the team. Nick Mitchell, a senior that compiled a 68-8 record as a mixed doubles
player the last two seasons, should lead the boys.
Langdon also emphasizes the importance of strong doubles play. Marcus' doubles play has been solid for the team in recent years.
"We always play the doubles first ... and if we've been up in doubles, then we've only lost two times in the past four years," he said. "I have a degree in accounting and those numbers match up. We feel pretty good about our doubles."

Keller
The Indians turned heads in 5-5A last fall when they defeated Grapevine in district play and at one time were in second place only to Carroll. Although Grapevine defeated Keller in the district tournament, leaving the Indians in third place and just shy of advancing to region, the experience is one from which the team intends to build.
"I feel like they are growing into really good competitors," said Keller tennis coach David Vinsant. "That's the thing; I think they're really hungry to compete. I think they play with a little more confidence.
"They really see fall tennis as a team tennis concept. They're buying into it."
The Indians return a strong nucleus of boys, led by Jeremy Knipp and Matt Donaldson, who went to regionals in the spring. Although the boys team will need to lead the way, Emmi Mallow brings veteran leadership to a less-experienced girls side.
Vinsant said continued hard work and improvement is key to giving his team a chance come district. A tough early schedule will test just how ready Keller is and will require both boys and girls players to step up.
"It's a team effort and not going to be one particular group that carries us," he said. -