GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE Statewide Team Tennis Regional Tournament Preview
HOUSTON – In just a week the first UIL State Championship of the year will get underway with Team Tennis serving it up in College Station.
But who could get there?
The playoffs push into the Regional Semifinals starting on Thursday across the state with the Regional Final matches set for Friday morning.
VYPE went through each bracket, have provided the matchups, locations, times and some notes on who could get back to College Station.
In Class 6A here is the breakdown.
Region I
Abilene vs Lewisville Marcus (Rose Park Tennis Center – Thurs. 1 p.m.)
El Paso Coronado vs Southlake Carroll (Rose Park Tennis Center – Thurs. 1 p.m.)
Reg. Final – Friday at 9 a.m. at Rose Park Tennis Center
Region II
Allen vs The Woodlands (Mansfield HS – Thurs. 1 p.m.)
Plano West vs Round Rock Westwood (Lake Ridge HS – Thurs. 1 p.m.)
Reg. Final – Friday at 10 a.m. at Mansfield HS
Region III
Seven Lakes vs Clear Lake (Deer Park HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Houston Memorial vs Deer Park (Deer Park HS – Thurs. 1:30 p.m.)
Reg. Final – Friday at 9 a.m. at Deer Park HS
Region IV
Westlake vs Harlingen South (Northside Tennis Center – Thurs. 10 a.m.)
Lake Travis vs Laredo Alexander (Northside Tennis Center – Thurs. 10 a.m.)
Reg. Final - Friday at 10 a.m. at Northside Tennis Center
Houston Memorial has become a power program under Budd Booth's direction. The program won a state championship in 2017. Last year, Memorial fell just short to Round Rock Westwood in the 6A State Championship match. If the Mustangs make it through the next two rounds they will be making their 12th state tournament appearance in program history and for the 11th-straight season.
Lake Travis reached the state tournament last year but fell in the semifinals to Memorial. The Cavaliers are seeking their third-ever state tournament berth with a pair of wins this weekend.
So, how does Class 5A – which has been dominated by Highland Park – shake out heading into the Regional Tournament.
Region I
Amarillo vs Colleyville Heritage (Wichita Falls HS – Thurs. 9 a.m.)
Lubbock vs North Richland Hills Birdville (Wichita Falls HS – Thurs. 10 a.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 9 a.m. at Wichita Falls HS
Region II
Highland Park vs Texarkana Texas (Allen HS – Thurs. 2 p.m.)
Frisco Lebanon Trail vs Ennis (Allen HS – Thurs. 9 a.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 10 a.m. at Allen HS
Region III
A&M Consolidated vs Shadow Creek (Cinco Ranch HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Georgetown vs Friendswood (Katy Taylor HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 9 a.m. at Katy Taylor HS
Region IV
Alamo Heights vs Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway (Alamo Heights HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Boerne Champion vs CC Veterans Memorial (Alamo Heights HS – Thurs. 1:30 p.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 8:30 a.m. at Alamo Heights HS
Plain and simply put, Highland Park owns team tennis. The program is seeking its 32nd state tournament appearance this year to try and go for a fourth-straight Class 5A State Championship. The Scots have built a tradition of tennis excellence, can they add to it in 2019?
Alamo Heights is just behind Highland Park when it comes to number of state tourney appearances. The Mules are seeking their 29th state tournament appearance in 2019. Last season, Alamo Heights felt o Abilene Wylie in the state semifinals, 12-7.
A&M Consolidated is the only other team in the field that made it to the state tourney a year ago before running into Highland Park. This year, the Tigers are seeking what would be the program's eighth state tournament appearance with a pair of wins this week.
The last classification to breakdown in Team Tennis is Class 4A, which Fredericksburg won in 2018 with a 10-6 win over Canyon.
So, who's in the running for a state tourney appearance this fall?
Region I
Hereford vs Burkburnett (Rose Park Tennis Center – Thurs. 9 am)
Canyon vs Vernon (Rose Park Tennis Center – Thurs. 9 am)
Regional Final – Friday at 9 a.m. at Rose Park Tennis Center
Region II
Argyle vs Kilgore (Grapevine HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Anna vs Willis Point (Grapevine HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 1:30 p.m. at Grapevine HS
Region III
Center vs Fulshear (Rudder HS – Thurs. 8:30 a.m.)
China Spring vs Needville (Rudder HS – Thurs. 1:30 p.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 10 a.m. at Rudder HS
Region IV
Fredericksburg vs Zapata (Annemarie Tennis Center – Thurs. 10 a.m.)
Boerne vs La Feria (Annemarie Tennis Center – Thurs. 10 a.m.)
Regional Final – Friday at 10 a.m. at Annemarie Tennis Center
Fredericksburg is going for its third-straight state tournament appearance and going for back-to-back state championships. With a pair of wins this weekend, Canyon will make its second-straight state tournament appearance. Last year, Canyon fell to Fredericksburg 10-6 in the state final. Fulshear is one of the newest programs on the scene and has already made so much noise. Fulshear, the 2019 VYPE Awards Tennis Team of the Year, with two wins this weekend will reach its second-straight state tournament.
Kilgore's Gus Witt, Spring Hill's Marshall Lipsey and Linden-Kildare's John Roberts earned superlative selections on the 2019 All-East Texas Baseball Team.
2019 All-East Texas Baseball Team
By News Journal Staff
MVP
Gus Witt
Kilgore
By the numbers: Witt helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 4A State Tournament in Austin. The senior third baseman finished his year with a .477 average, 3 home runs, 10 doubles, 4 triples, 46 RBI, 50 runs scored and 15 of 17 bases stolen. The Weatherford commit was also 8-2 on the bump with a 1.83 ERA. Witt struck out 40 with just 16 walks in 53.1 innings of work.
Q&A
When do you first start playing baseball and what was the name of your team: First started playing when I could walk. My first game was when I was four. The name of my team was the Athletics.
Describe your routine on game day: Get in a couple games of ping pong. Once I'm in the locker room I'll get stretched out on the roller, then get my wrists wrapped Brandon Meyers.
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