Marble Falls tennis demolishes Salado

CAPTION: Cooper Womack continues to show why he is among the elite players the Hill Country with another impressive performance in boys singles and doubles. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School team tennis squad demolished Salado 19-0 Aug. 28 in a battle of undefeated District 25-4A teams.

In all, the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs won every singles and doubles match played to remain undefeated on the season (6-0) and in district play (3-0).

Marble Falls got wins from Glenn Benton, Chloe Brown, Payton Glaser, Mia Hernandez, Cooper Kelley, Briana Morales, Nevaeh Nelson, Nicolas Smith, Ben Sowers, Chloe Taylor, Sophia Trudeau and Cooper Womack.

Head coach Samuel Whitley commended his players on two important tasks.

First, their intensity never dropped as evidenced by the number of sets they won at 6-0 or 6-1 that equaled 20 out of 40. Marble Falls also won 12 sets that had a 6-2 score.

Whitley pointed out his players “went in with a lot of intensity” against Cameron Yoe last week. But lightning forced the singles matches to be moved to the next day. And though Marble Falls prevailed, the players’ fervor didn’t carry over.

Whitley said he saw none of that against Salado.

“We went in with an attitude – next ball,” he said. “That intensity held throughout the day. We kept our focus and we did not let down. Even though it was the same result, we were up for it.”

And last, they took their coaching with them.

“I feel like that was probably the best match our kids played,” Whitley said. “The reason I say that is because (assistant coach Nathan) Redman and I did very little coaching. Our players were playing to their strengths or were making game adjustments themselves. If they find a weakness in the opponent or recognize something they’re not doing, they changed it. Our kids understand their own adjustments.”

He noted that the only real challenge might have been at line No. 6 boys singles where Sowers prevailed in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 10-8 (prostyle scoring)

“We’re teaching them and training them on what to look for, so they can make their own adjustments,” the coach said. “I was pleased. You’re trying to get better. This is how good we are. Our kids are making the adjustments. This is the first time I can remember that.”

Marble Falls travels to play Belton New Tech Thursday, Sept. 4.

RESULTS

BOYS

Singles

Cooper Womack def. Anderson 6-2, 6-2; Cooper Kelley def. Moss 6-0, 6-0; Nicolas Smith def. Riggs 6-0, 6-1; Payton Glaser def. Goode 6-0, 6-3; Glenn Banton def. Watson 6-1, 6-1; Ben Sowers def. Kilpatrick 6-2, 4-6, 10-8

Doubles

Womack and Kelley def. Adinaro and Goode 6-0, 6-0; N. Smith and Glaser def. Gearhart and Kilpatrick 6-2, 6-1; S. Smith and Banton def. Barker and Johnson 6-2, 6-1

GIRLS

Singles

Nevaeh Nelson def. Morreale 6-1, 6-2; Sophia Trudeau def. Yohner 6-2, 6-2; Chloe Taylor def. Yohner 6-3, 6-1; Mia Hernandez def. Fincher 6-3, 6-3; Chloe Brown def. Sellers 6-1, 6-1; Briana Morales def. Butler 7-5, 6-2

Doubles

Nelson and Trudeau def. Sellers and Fincher 6-0, 6-1; Brown and Morales def. Nail Morreale 6-2, 6-2; Taylor and Hernandez def. Edwards and Wickline 6-0, 6-2; Cook and Osloond won 8-1

Mixed Doubles

Stargroves and Hamblin def. Anderson and Yohner 6-2, 6-0