Last week was a busy week for the San Saba Tennis Team as the JV played in the Llano JV Tournament on Thursday, the Varsity played in the Llano Varsity Tournament on Friday. Teams playing in the Llano Tournament were Llano, Liberty Hill, Junction, Canyon Lake, San Saba, San Antonio Memorial, Early, Hutto, San Antonio Edgewood, Fredericksburg and Faith Academy. On Saturday the varsity took on a couple of 5A schools in Killeen Ellison and Copperas Cove in team tennis. Playing in the Llano JV Tournament were Drew Daniel, Allison Christian, Allison Nettleship, Mikayla Eden, and Marissa Anaya. Allison Christian and Allison Nettleship will play Mikayla Eden and Marissa Anaya for third place on Monday, February 13. Playing in the Llano Varsity Tournament were Lauren Dawson, Joely Haverland, Morgan Jimenez, Heather Wilcox, Kristen Isham, Karlee Cromer, Josie Dawson, Joannah Crosby, Marshal McIntosh, Jairo Casco, J.T. Holland, Gunnar Hibler, Houston Casco, Josh Raiford, Aaron Krueger, and Diego Lara.In mixed doubles Joannah Crosby and Marshal McIntosh won first place, Josie Dawson and Jairo Casco won consolation. In girls singles Lauren Dawson and Joely Haverland will play each other for third place sometime this week. In girls doubles Morgan Jimenez and Heather Wilcox won third place. In boys doubles Houston Casco and Josh Raiford won third place, Aaron Krueger and Diego Lara won consolation. On Saturday, February 4, the Armadillos took on 5A schools Killeen Ellison and Copperas Cove. In the first match at 8:00 a.m. with wind chills in the 20’s the Armadillos played Ellison in a match that went down to the wire with Ellison coming out on top 10 to 9. After the doubles were played San Saba led Ellison 4 to 3, but Ellison came back and won 7 of the 12 singles matches. Winning matches for San Saba were: No. 1 girls doubles, Lauren Dawson and Joely Haverland, No. 2 girls doubles, Morgan Jimenez and Josie Dawson. No. 3 boys doubles, Jairo Casco and J.T. Holland. Mixed doubles , Joannah Crosby and Marshal McIntosh. In girls singles Lauren Dawson, Joannah Crosby and Joely Haverland won their matches. In boys singles, Houston Casco, Gunnar Hibler and J.T. Holland won matches. I felt like our kids played very well and I was pleased with their mental toughness playing in the extreme cold and windy conditions. In the afternoon match against one of the best 5A schools in the area Copperas Cove defeated the Armadillos 17 to 1. Although we only won one match we competed well and lost 4 close matches in third set tie-breakers. The highlight of the match was in mixed doubles as Joannah Crosby and Marshal McIntosh defeated Copperas Cove 6 – 1, 6 -7 , 21 – 19. The best to my memory the third set tie-breaker of 21 – 19 is the most points in a tie-breaker by San Saba players in the 30 years I have been here.They were down match point 6 times during the tie-breaker but each time were able to battle back and win the next point. Playing teams like Ellison and Copperas Cove will help us get ready for the 2A regional team tournament on March 2-3. This week San Saba JV Team will play in the Fredericksburg JV Tournament on February 16. On Friday, February 17 San Saba Varsity will play in the Waco Robinson Tournament at the Waco Regional Tennis Center. Llano tournament results are as follows: Junior Varsity Division Boys Singles:Quarterfinals: Drew Daniel lost to S. Madron(Hutto) 0-6,0-6Consolation Quarterfinals: Daniel lost to A. Cooper(Early) 2-6, 3-6Girls Doubles:Quarterfinals: Anaya/Eden defeated Carothers/Davis(Early) 6-3, 6-2 Christian/Nettleship defeated Davis/Walker(Early) 4-6,6-3,10-7 Semifinals: Anaya/Eden lost to Neil/McCaleb (Liberty Hill) 4-6, 1-6 Christian/Nettleship lost to McMahon/Renteria(Fredericks-burg) 0-6, 1-6Third Place: Anaya/Eden vs Christian/Nettleship later in the week Varsity Division Girls Singles: Quarterfinals: Joely Haverland defeated A. Palmer(Llano) 3-6,6-4,10-8 Lauren Dawson defeated A. Sanderson (Llano) 6-3, 6-0Semifinals: Haverland lost to Chelsey Goza (Liberty Hill) 0-6, 2-6 Dawson lost to Jessie Martinez (Junction) 6-4,3-6,7-10Third Place: Joely Haverland vs Lauren Dawson later in weekBoys Singles:Quarterfinals: Gunnar Hibler lost to Nolan Etheridge(Early) 3-6, 1-6 J.T. Holland defeated D. Duncan (Liberty Hill) 6-4, 6-4Semifinals: Holland lost to H. Smits(Hutto) 2-6,1-6Consolation Semifinals: Hibler lost to N. Albers(Hutto) 3-8Third Place: J.T. Holland lost to G. Vaandrager (Liberty Hill) 2-6, 1-6Girls Doubles:Round of 16: Karlee Cromer/Kristen Isham lost to Stapper/Kott(Junction) 4-6,6-3, 9-11Quarterfinals: Morgan Jimenez/Heather Wilcox defeated Warner/Haven(Liberty Hill) 7-6, 6-2Consolation Semifinals: Cromer/Isham lost to Mitchell/Hobbs(Hutto) 6-8Third Place: Jimenez/Wilcox defeated Parker/Sherva(Hutto) 6-2,6-3Boys Doubles:Quarterfinals: Houston Casco/Josh Raiford defeated Nickle/Speegle(Liberty Hill) 6-2, 6-1 Aaron Krueger/Diego Lara lost to Gillespie/Pham(Liberty Hill) 6-1,5-7, 9-11Semifinals: Casco/Raiford lost to Hohensee/Summers(Hutto) 6-1,5-7,8-11Consolation Semifinals: Krueger/Lara defeated Moran/ Flores(San Antonio Memorial) 8-1Consolation Finals: Krueger/Lara defeated Nickle/Speegle(Liberty Hill) 8-6Third Place: Casco/Raiford defeated Gillespie/Pham(Liberty Hill) 6-1,7-6Mixed Doubles:Quarterfinals: Joannah Crosby/Marshal McIntosh defeated Corona/Miller(Liberty Hill) 6-4, 6-2 Josie Dawson/Jairo Casco lost to Sarcinella/Bunting(Liberty Hill) 1-6,1-6Consolation Semifinals: Dawson/Casco defeated Burns/Lopez(San Antonio Memorial) 8-1Semifinals: Crosby/McIntosh defeated Orso/Gillett(Hutto) 6-4,6-2Consolation Finals: Dawson/Casco defeated Corona/Miller(Liberty Hill) 9-8First Place: Crosby/McIntosh defeated DeRussea/ Dennis(Hutto) 6-2,4-6, 10-5