Published: August 29, 2008 02:19 am            

Tigers looking for fifth straight team tennis title

The Tigers are back on track for another district title early in the team tennis season.

After four consecutive district titles, Tigers coach Jason White intends on keeping up the pace for a fifth.

“We are coming off a pretty good season last year,” White said. “I really think that we could be as a good as we were last year.

“We aren’t right now, but we have the potential to be. It is just whether we can get that far in the couple of months that we play or not.”

In 2007 the Tigers advanced to the Class 4A, regional semifinals and ended the year ranked 10th in the final state rankings.

The Tigers (3-2, 0-0 District 16-4A) are led this season by their No. 1 boy’s player Nick Tafacory and girl’s players Katelyn Nease. Tafacory is 3-2 in singles matches this season while Nease is undefeated in her five singles matches.

White says he is confident in his strong group of experienced boys, but will need young players to step up on the girl’s side to continue their success.

“The guy’s side looks really good,” White said. “I expect a lot out of them.

“The girl’s side doesn’t look young on paper, but for a lot of them it is their first time playing varsity. I know we can be competitive and have a good team, we just have to hope that the learning curve comes along quickly.”

One of the girls White will be looking to make an impact early on is freshman Kayla Parker.

“Kayla plays a lot of tournaments on her own and takes lessons,” White said. “She is competitive and a good athlete, so I expect quite a bit out of her even though she doesn’t have a lot of high school experience.”

In girl’s doubles, Nease and teammate Tessa McCain have been flawless when the two have teamed up.

White has mixed up the pairings in boy’s doubles throughout the early part of this season, but regardless of which two boys are hitting the court together the Tigers have dominated, winning 12 of their 16 matches.

In their most recent action, the Tiger defeated Tyler Lee 15-4 in Tyler Tuesday.

Nease, McCain, Ambree Corrington, Parker, Dalia Flores and Cindy Vaquera won each of their singles matches in straight sets.

The doubles teams of Nease/McCain, Corrington/Vaquera and Parker/Flores rolled in doubles as well winning all three matches.

In boy’s singles, Andrew Leskoven, Robert Cho and Haden Davis come away with wins against their Tyler Lee opponents.

Brees Smith and Neal Ewing took care of mixed doubles for the Tigers, winning 7-6(3), 6-2.

The Tigers will host matches against Wills Point and Birdsville Saturday at the Corsicana Tennis Complex before welcoming in their first district opponent in Waxahachie on Sept. 2.

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Shawn Edwards may be contacted via e-mail at edwards@corsicanadailysun.com

        

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