The San Saba Tennis Team played in the Region I – AA Tennis Tournament in Odessa on April 18-19. San Saba competed very well, taking 12 players to the tournament. We came very close in getting our boys doubles and mixed doubles teams to state, but came up just short as both teams finished in third place. In boys doubles Houston Casco and Josh Raiford won their first three matches to reach the finals. In the finals Casco/ Raiford lost to Wall, 6-1, 6-0 . They then had to turn around and play Idalou in a playback match for second place. This match went back and forth as Casco / Raiford lost the first set 6 – 2, we came back and won the second set 6 – 4. In the third set it was a battle as both teams fought to a 6 – 6 tie. In the tie breaker Idalou came out on top 7 – 4. Houston and Josh played the best tennis I have seen them play all year. At one point in the match they were two points from going to state, but give Idalou credit as they played extremely well when they needed to.

In mixed doubles Joannah Crosby and Marshal McIntosh also won their first three matches to reach the finals. In the finals they lost to a very strong Ingram team 6 – 1, 7 – 5. Crosby and McIntosh also had to play a playback match for second place. We had to play a team from Jim Ned who came in very hot. They made very few errors as they defeated Crosby / McIntosh 6 – 1, 6 – 4. Crosby and McIntosh ended their season winning 30 and losing only 3 matches in mixed doubles. Kristen Isham and Gunnar Hibler also played in mixed doubles and had to play the same Jim Ned team that defeated Crosby/McIntosh. Isham/ Hibler lost to Jim Ned in the 1

In girls singles Joely Haver-land and Lauren Dawson competed. Joely played the 4

In girls doubles , our two teams played some tough teams in the first round. Josie Dawson and Morgan Jimenez played the eventual second place team from Sonora and lost 6 – 0, 6 – 0. Karlee Cromer and Heather Wilcox lost to a strong Forsan team 6 – 1, 6 – 4.

All our players competed very well. I want to congratulate our four seniors on the team. Lauren Dawson, Marshal McIntosh, Josh Raiford , and Houston Casco all qualified for regionals and three of them came home with third place medals and the fourth was a regional quarterfinalist. I want to thank them for all their hard work the last 6 years. I am very proud of them.

Middle School Tennis is in full swing now. The middle school team will play in the Mason Team Tournament on April 27-28. On Friday, the 27

Individual results at regionals are as follows:

Boys Doubles

Round of 16: Casco / Raiford defeated Huseman / Velasquez (Tulia) 6-4,6-4

Quarterfinals: Casco / Raiford defeated Bagnall / Breyman (Forsan) 6-2,6-4

Semifinals: Casco / Raiford defeated Beach / Wise (Wall) 6-2,4-6,7-5

Finals: Casco / Raiford lost to Conoly / Jones (Wall) 6-1,6-0

Playback for second: Casco / Raiford lost to Arismendez / Holt (Idalou) 6-2,4-6,7-6

Mixed Doubles

Round of 16: Isham / Hibler lost to Crawford / Abercombie (Jim Ned) 6-2,6-4

Crosby / McIntosh defeated Griffin / Spoon (Breckenridge) 6-3,6-3

Quarterfinals: Crosby / McIntosh defeated Scott /Henderson (Wall) 6-2,6-2

Semifinals: Crosby / McIntosh defeated Griffin / Lipham (Floydada) 4-6,6-4,6-2

Finals: Crosby / McIntosh lost to Sherriff / Moore (Ingram) 6-1,7-5

Playback for second: Crosby / McIntosh lost to Crawford / Abercrombie (Jim Ned) 6-1,6-4

Girls Singles

Round of 16: Joely Haverland lost to Macy Pfingsten (Wall) 6-1,6-1

Lauren Dawson defeated Cassandra Leos (Littlefield) 6-1,6-1

Quarterfinals: Lauren Dawson lost to Sydney Holdampf (Forsan) 6-4,6-4

Girls Doubles

Round of 16: Cromer / Wilcox lost to Crane / Freeman (Forsan) 6-1,6-4

Dawson / Jimenez lost to Jennings / Creek (Sonora) 6-0, 6-0