Burnet tennis performs well at regionals
CAPTION: Burnet High School was well represented at the Class 4A Region III tournament by assistant coach Tanner Wells (left), Aly Van Zandt, Alex Burns, Callen Smith, alternate Nick Dietrich and head coach Brandon Cunningham. Contributed photo
Tennis season ended for three Burnet High School players at the Class 4A Region III tournament May 7-8 at Bryan.
They are Aly Van Zandt in girls singles and the mixed doubles team of Alex Burns and Callen Smith.
Van Zandt, who won the 2024 Class 4A state silver medal in girls doubles with former parter Tatum Salinas, finished fourth at regionals this year after losing in the bronze-medal match to China Spring’s Ava Turner 5-7, 5-7.
Head coach Brandon Cunningham noted Van Zandt was fighting through an ailment during the match.
“She was battling through an injury and fought through that the whole match,” he said. “It was a back-and-forth battle. It was unbelievable to watch, it was inspiring to watch. People wandered around watching. In the championship match, we knew who was going to win. The third place match lived up to (a state tournament berth). She had a goal and fell just short.”
The Lady Dawg defeated Bullard’s Danica Vestal 6-1, 6-0 and Hamshire-Fannett High School’s Hannah Augustine 6-3, 6-0 before losing to Stafford’s Amanni Karera 2-6, 1-6 in the semifinals.
“(Van Zandt) is a hard worker and very talented player, who came in halfway through the semester,” Cunningham said. “She was playing outside tennis but wanted to play with her friends (on the Burnet High team). She won every tournament up to district except one, and that was to a Leander Glenn girl.”
He noted that Van Zandt hadn’t played singles “in a while and wanted to try it out.”
Taylor junior and two-time defending state champion Rylee Michna won the regional championship.
In mixed doubles Burns and Smith lost in the round of 16 to Gatesville’s Jack Armstrong and Kasey Fitzer 2-6, 3-6. Armstrong and Fitzer won the silver medal to advance to the state tournament.
“We were able to play with them for a little bit,” the coach said. “At the seeding meeting the night before, you look at the list and go, ‘Wow. There’s a lot of talent.’ Lampasas got seeded third, and they’re a solid team. Our team is solid. There was talent out there, and it was fun to watch.”
Cunningham noted the Burnet doubles team finished no worse than fourth in every tournament it played during the season.
“They battled in every tournament,” he said.
That included the District 24-4A tournament where Lampasas and Marble Falls featured some talented teams. And these Bulldogs did more than hold their own.
They defeated Lampasas’ team that was seeded No. 2 in the playback to advance to the regional tournament after beating a Marble Falls team that was seeded No. 3.
When the two met with Cunningham to begin they season, they asked him if they could play mixed doubles together again, adding their goal was to make it to regionals.
“They work hard,” he said. “They set a goal and accomplished it. I’m excited for what they can do their senior year. I’m super proud of the kids. They worked hard this year.”
