TEN: Cordray, Windham headed to State
Region III Tennis Championships in Bryan. Pictured are (from left) Coach
Brad Hickman, boys' doubles duo of Jesse Campbell and Jacy Clark (4th
place), mixed doubles partners Erika Cordray and Dustin Windham (2nd
place), along with Coach Leon Dykes. Cordram and Windham have
qualified for State. (Submitted photo)
The Center High School tennis team produced a strong showing at the Class 3A Region III Tennis Championships in Bryan earlier this week, winning six of their nine opening-round matches as the Riders advanced to the semifinals in two events before falling. But the CHS mixed doubles duo of Erika Cordray and Dustin Windham advanced to the State Tournament in Austin with a second-place finish.
Cordray and Windham, both seniors for Center, were the No.2 seeds entering play at the Region III Meet and received an opening round bye for the seeding. They topped the Gladewater duo of Jordan Palmer and Noah Blackmon in the quarterfinals, winning in straight sets.
The Center athletes got off to a slow start against Groesbeck #1, Brazos Holligan and Katie Harris, falling in the first set of the semifinal match, but regrouped to capture the victory in three sets.
Cordray and Windham lost in the finals to No.1 seeds Meagan Cameron and Mitch Alm of Spring Hill, then watched Groesbeck #2 defeated Groesbeck #1, which meant the Center tandem had to take the court again to give them a playback match for second. But the Roughrider seniors withstood the test, winning in three sets to give them second place overall in mixed doubles and a trip to the State Tennis Championships in Austin on May 10-11.
"Overall it was a great showing and Center was well represented," Center Head Tennis Coach Leon Dykes noted. "The majority of the losses were only to seeded players and we also pulled some upsets in the process. I'm very proud of this group and we're still not done yet."
The Riders also had a strong finish in the boys' doubles competition as CHS sophomores Jacy Clark and Jesse Campbell narrowly missed out on a chance to advance to State as well.
The Center players won their first round match over Taylor in three sets and then captured a quarterfinal victory over No.3 seed and District 21-3A champions from West Orange-Stark, moving to the semifinals despite being unseeded.
Clark and Campbell would then meet the No.2 seed from Mexia, tying the match after two sets before falling in the hard-fought matchup. The Center duo played Athens for third place and a possible playback opportunity if they won and Mexia were to take first. The Roughriders did their part, winning in straight sets over the No.4 seed and District 20-3A champs, but Mexia ended up second, giving the Center duo the third-place medals.
Riders Mario Jimenez (junior) and Ross Reynolds (sophomore) also competed in the boys' doubles competition at the Region III Meet. The duo faced the District 24-3A champions from Taylor in the first round, but Taylor was able to escape with the victory. Taylor would go on to fall in the quarterfinals.
Center freshman Amble Noble didn't appear to have first-time jitters as she rolled to the semifinals in girls' singles. Noble took a 6-2, 6-1 opening round match over her opponent from Gilmer and then topped the No.4 seed from Orangefield, 6-3, 6-4 to move to the semifinal round.
Noble took a difficult loss to the No.1 seed and eventual Region III champion from Groesbeck. She then lost a three-set match to a Waco Robinson opponent in a match for third place and a possible playback for second. The setback left Noble with a fourth-place finish, but an impressive showing for a freshman.
Another Center representative in girls' singles, sophomore Caroline Chadwick, took a tough opening round loss when she drew the No.3-seed and District 17-3A champ from Bullard. The Bullard player went on to place second and qualified for State.
The Rider girls' doubles duo of Casey Fountain and Shelby Hudspeth proved to be tough competition for the eventual Regional champions from Waco Robinson, handing them their only set loss in the tournament, but it wasn't meant to be for the seniors from CHS.
Fountain and Hudspeth won their first match over their opponents from Liberty, and then forced a third match against No.1-seed Waco Robinson before falling in the final set. They didn't get a chance for playback because it was in the quarterfinals.
Center's other girls' doubles representatives, seniors Whitney Burgay and Cassie Cox, won their opening-round match over the District 20-3A champs from Palestine Westwood, but then fell just short against the No.2 seed from Silsbee, a duo that eventually finished in second place.
Center junior Wesley Howard recorded a 6-4, 6-0 win over the District 22-3A champ from Splendora before falling in the quarterfinal round to the No.1 seed and District 17-3A champion in the quarterfinals. His opponent went on to capture the regional crown in boys' singles.
Rider sophomore Seth Grant fell to the eventual fourth-place finisher from Spring Hill, dropping a 7-5, 6-2 setback.