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panther power
04-29-2005, 10:49 AM
Fort Stockton’s Rainwater earns trip to state
By Chris Gove
Odessa American
Since he had been waiting almost four years just for this moment, a few extra hours Thursday weren’t the worst thing in the world for Bryan Rainwater.
In this case, either was a little pain.
The Fort Stockton High School senior achieved a career-long goal by earning a trip to the state tournament after finishing second in the Region I-3A Tennis Championships.
It was never a shut-and-closed case, however, for Rainwater to get out of the boys singles draw at the Ratliff Tennis Complex. He finally earned the state berth by beating Carrollton Ranchview’s Gino Villanueva 6-3, 7-5 in a second-place playback match.
“I was really hoping I didn’t have to have a playback,” Rainwater said. “But I just forgot about it and went out there and played my game and beat him.”
Earlier, Rainwater won his semifinal match against Borger’s Scott Milner 7-6, 6-2 and lost in the final 6-0, 6-3 to defending 3A state champion Luke Hawk of Clyde. Then Rainwater had to wait for about an hour during the third-place match between Milner and Villanueva to see if he would be forced into a playback.
Milner teased Rainwater by taking a 5-3 lead in the third set, but Villanueva stormed back for a 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory to force the extra match for the second-place berth to the UIL Class 3A State Tennis Championships.
Even though Rainwater won in straight sets against Villanueva, the match was anything but routine. Villanueva took a 5-2 lead in the second set and the match seemed sure to go to a third set when Rainwater slipped while attacking the net.
The result was a nasty, bloody scrape on his right leg — and a renewed vigor for a match that Villanueva was controlling.
“I think this made me focus more,” Rainwater said while pointing to the scrape wounds on his leg. “I did not want to go three sets, and I knew if I just made him play I would win because he had been out there a lot longer than me. But I definitely think (the fall) made me focus a lot better.”
Rainwater is the first Fort Stockton player to earn a spot at the state tournament since Eric Fierro and Bjorn Subia qualified in boys doubles in 2002. Fierro, who played doubles with Rainwater in 2003, now plays at McMurry University in Abilene and was in attendance Thursday to support his former partner.
The state tournament is scheduled for May 9-10 and will be played at the World of Tennis at Lakeway, which is located just outside of Austin.
If Rainwater can reach the final by winning his first two rounds, the opponent very well could be the same guy he lost against in Thursday’s regional final — Clyde’s Hawk.
A junior, Hawk is the fourth and final tennis-playing child from the family, with sister Ashley qualifying for state in 2001 and oldest brother Dustin winning state in 1995. Also, older brother Brandon Hawk played at the University of Texas and professionally before retiring.
But tennis didn’t catch Luke Hawk’s eye until later in life, despite the family influence.
“I started when I was 13,” the junior said. “I just played baseball and basketball and I just wanted to do my own thing. One summer I just started playing and it’s worked out.”
Two other players earned return trips to state, both from Abilene Wylie. In girls doubles, Sadie McClarty won state last season with a different partner and will try to repeat the feat again this season with new partner Nichole Williams after dropping just seven games through the regional tournament.
Also for Wylie, junior Marissa Briggs — who was seeded just third by the region’s coaches — beat both the No. 2 seed and No. 1 seed while winning the title. She lost just 14 games while earning her return trip to Austin.
In boys doubles, Levelland’s Andy Cariens and Stratton Paxton won the title with a straight-set victory against Wylie’s Brian Jones and Robert Orchard. Cariens is a former Midland resident.

Ranger Mom
04-29-2005, 11:11 AM
When I first read the title thread I thought Ft. Stockton was getting a bunch of rain!!:cool:

panther power
04-29-2005, 11:12 AM
Lol, yeah he has a funny last one but the kid can play, he is the first tennis player to reach boys singles finals since our own Luke Epps won it all back in 2001.


He is going to Texas Tech in the fall.