injuredinmelee
05-08-2007, 09:10 AM
AUSTIN - Having already won eight individual state tennis titles since 2000, Wylie has the chance to add three more today, while Abilene High will be playing for its first.
The Bulldogs advanced to the finals in all three of the events for which they qualified at the UIL Class 3A State Tennis Championships at Lakeway World of Tennis on Monday, and over at the University of Texas' Penick-Allison Tennis Center, the Eagles' mixed doubles team survived its two matches in the 5A tournament.
For Wylie, some had an easier time than others. Both the girls doubles pair of Courtney and Caitlin Cramer and the mixed doubles pair of Todd Henington and Lindsey Bloomer won all of their matches in straight sets, but Brooke Dennis went to a third in her girls singles semifinal.
The Cramer twins certainly did not look like freshmen as they defeated Wills Point's Stacey Stroud and Lacey Hawkins 6-0, 6-1 before beating Wimberley's Sara Howard and Allison Sherwood 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the championship.
''I think we have a lot of momentum going in. I feel really confident about the way we're playing right now,'' Caitlin Cramer said. ''After we lost state earlier in team tennis I think it means a lot to come back and try again and win state.''
Henington and Bloomer, meanwhile, beat Cameron McClure and Morgan Wilkins of Wimberley 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Nick Stiefer and Natalie Hand of Van 6-4, 6-4 in the semis, and they can become the first mixed doubles tandem to win a state title for the Bulldogs. Mixed doubles was not a UIL state championship event until last year.
Dennis, Wylie's sophomore sensation and the second-place finisher a year ago, looked like the girl to beat early. She won her quarterfinal match over Sinton's Kelci Molina 6-1, 6-1 and took the first set in the semis 6-0 against Taylor's Reese Hall, but Hall fought back to win the second set 7-6 (7-3) and force a third.
Dennis kicked her game into another gear, though, and broke a 2-2 tie in the third set by sweeping the last four games to clinch the match.
''The second set I kind of got a little unfocused and let a lot of other factors get to me, but in the third set I came out there and I was like, 'I'm not losing. I'm going to state finals,' so I just kind of did it,'' said Dennis, who believes last year's experience puts her in good shape this time around. ''I think since I've been there I kind of know how it feels, and it's got me mentally prepared for the pressure with everyone watching because it's the finals.''
The sad part is that probably the best tennis player in all of Abilene used to be a Wylie player but is now home schooled so he can play across the country.
The Bulldogs advanced to the finals in all three of the events for which they qualified at the UIL Class 3A State Tennis Championships at Lakeway World of Tennis on Monday, and over at the University of Texas' Penick-Allison Tennis Center, the Eagles' mixed doubles team survived its two matches in the 5A tournament.
For Wylie, some had an easier time than others. Both the girls doubles pair of Courtney and Caitlin Cramer and the mixed doubles pair of Todd Henington and Lindsey Bloomer won all of their matches in straight sets, but Brooke Dennis went to a third in her girls singles semifinal.
The Cramer twins certainly did not look like freshmen as they defeated Wills Point's Stacey Stroud and Lacey Hawkins 6-0, 6-1 before beating Wimberley's Sara Howard and Allison Sherwood 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the championship.
''I think we have a lot of momentum going in. I feel really confident about the way we're playing right now,'' Caitlin Cramer said. ''After we lost state earlier in team tennis I think it means a lot to come back and try again and win state.''
Henington and Bloomer, meanwhile, beat Cameron McClure and Morgan Wilkins of Wimberley 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Nick Stiefer and Natalie Hand of Van 6-4, 6-4 in the semis, and they can become the first mixed doubles tandem to win a state title for the Bulldogs. Mixed doubles was not a UIL state championship event until last year.
Dennis, Wylie's sophomore sensation and the second-place finisher a year ago, looked like the girl to beat early. She won her quarterfinal match over Sinton's Kelci Molina 6-1, 6-1 and took the first set in the semis 6-0 against Taylor's Reese Hall, but Hall fought back to win the second set 7-6 (7-3) and force a third.
Dennis kicked her game into another gear, though, and broke a 2-2 tie in the third set by sweeping the last four games to clinch the match.
''The second set I kind of got a little unfocused and let a lot of other factors get to me, but in the third set I came out there and I was like, 'I'm not losing. I'm going to state finals,' so I just kind of did it,'' said Dennis, who believes last year's experience puts her in good shape this time around. ''I think since I've been there I kind of know how it feels, and it's got me mentally prepared for the pressure with everyone watching because it's the finals.''
The sad part is that probably the best tennis player in all of Abilene used to be a Wylie player but is now home schooled so he can play across the country.