Region I-5A tennis: Lubbock-Cooper's Gracie Wood ends historic season in quarterfinals

Fighting back tears, Gracie Wood reflected on the history she made Monday.

The Lubbock-Cooper senior became the first girls singles player to reach the regional tournament, and she made sure it wasn't a short stay. Following a two-hour, 20-minute battle in the opening round, Wood found herself in another three-set match.

Wood couldn't duplicate the morning's success, with Amarillo Tascosa's Bradley Brown winning the Region I-5A quarterfinal 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at Texas Tech's McLeod Tennis Center.

"Honestly I think that there were a lot of girls before me that played at Cooper that could've made it here," Wood said. "Our district is just pretty tough to get out of. This year I worked really hard, and I'm really proud of myself. I think that I finished out the season well."

Part of that work included endurance training, which Wood said allowed her to stay competitive late in her second match. She fought back after a first-set loss and broke a 4-4 tie to win the final two games and force a decisive set. Brown broke serve twice to build a 4-0 lead from which Wood couldn't climb out.

Wood said fatigue wasn't a factor in her second match that went nearly two-and-a-half hours.

"I definitely think that my training has really paid off," Wood said. "I don't think that I could've done that this fall. I think that my stamina has increased and I've just gotten overall."

Wood's final win as a Lady Pirate was a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 result over Denton Ryan's Allison Leath, the No. 4 seed in girls singles. Cooper coach Jeff Rosales said both matches showcased what got Wood to reach new heights.

"She set a new standard, not only for our girls program but for the entire Lubbock-Cooper tennis," Rosales said. "… She represented us very well. To get to this point was just icing on the cake. Definitely didn't end the way we had hoped, but we couldn't be more proud of her."

Wood's career on the court isn't over, either. The senior is committed to Lubbock Christian University, giving her a chance to be at next year's regional tournament cheering on other players from Cooper.

"If not, I'll be proud of them either way," Wood said. "But I think that there's a bunch of talent, and I hope that I'm back here next year watching them."

Coronado boys doubles set for third-place match

Thomas Mann and Daniel Warraich had quite the start to the regional tournament. The final match of the day was forgettable.

But the Coronado boys doubles team is still alive for a state-tournament berth after falling in the semifinals Monday night.

Amarillo High's Kelton Brown and Wade Bryant topped Mann and Warraich 6-2, 6-1 to send the Mustangs' duo to the third-place match. Mann and Warraich will face Argyle's Jackson Hill and Austin Lewis at 8 a.m. Tuesday. That winner would get a playback match if the team that beat them wins the final.

The semifinal was the first trouble Coronado had on the opening day. Mustangs coach David Denham said his players were timid going up against half of the reigning boys doubles state champions. Bryant partnered with Taylor Vigil to win the title last season.

"The thing I was more upset at is I believed more than they did today," Denham said. "And it's hard. It's scary to play some good people. You don't have to stand tall, but you've got to stand up. I want them to believe in themselves."

The Coronado duo dropped two games during its first two matches. Mann and Warraich won their opening match 6-1, 6-1 over Wichita Falls Rider's Krew Luxton and Aarya Tanjavur. The Mustangs followed with a clean 6-0, 6-0 victory over El Paso High's Garrett Ruddock and Charles Shapiro.

Coronado will be cheering on Amarillo High, but Denham knows it's moot if the third-place match is lost.

"(We) got the draw you want," Denham said. "… But we've got to take care of us first. So now we've got to win two. But it only starts with the first game. … The good news is we got a second day."

Region I-5A tennis tournament

at Texas Tech's McLeod Tennis Center

Monday's matches

BOYS

SINGLES

First round

No. 1 Ethan Ruppanner, Amarillo Tascosa, def. Rishi Natarajan, Argyle, 7-5, 6-2; Darren Nava, El Paso Del Valle, def. Tanner Needham, Fort Worth Arlington Heights, 6-0, 6-1; No. 4 Brandon Cowling, Abilene Wylie, def. Ben Farmer, Aledo, 6-0, 6-2; Kaleb Russell, Burleson, def. Santiago Garcia, El Paso Chapin, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5); Alex Earthman, Amarillo High, def. Noah Malin, Grapevine, 6-4, 7-6 (4); Olise Roberts, Mansfield Timberview, def. No. 3 Maximus Martin, El Paso High, 7-5, 6-1; Chaitanya Reddy, Wichita Falls Rider, def. Emil Zuniga Sanchez, Arlington Heights, 6-0, 6-0; No. 2 Griffin Sullivan, Abilene High, def. El Paso Parkland, 6-1, 6-3.

Quarterfinals

Ruppanner, Tascosa, def. Nava, Del Valle, 6-0, 6-0; Brandon Cowling, Wylie, def. Russell, Burleson, 6-3, 6-1; Roberts, Timberview, def. Earthman, Amarillo High, 6-4, 6-3; Sullivan, Abilene High, def. Reddy, Rider, 7-5, 6-2.

Semifinals

Ruppanner, Tascosa, def. Cowling, Wylie, 6-0, 6-1; Sullivan, Abilene High, def. Roberts, Timberview, 6-2, 6-2.

DOUBLES

First round

No. 1 Kelton Brown/Wade Bryant, Amarillo High, def. Spencer Lang/Max Milton, Arlington Heights, 6-0, 6-0; Tobias Pfeiffer/Aaron Shetty, Colleyville Heritage, def. Andrew Cammack/Jackson Cooper, Burleson, 6-3, 6-0; No. 4 Thomas Mann/Daniel Warraich, Coronado, def. Krew Luxton/Aarya Tanjavur, Wichita Falls Rider, 6-2, 6-1; Garrett Ruddock/Charles Shapiro, El Paso High, def. Rolando Campos/Jorge Mendoza, El Paso Hanks, 6-1, 6-1; Craig Mason/Hogan Posey, Aledo, def. Kale Crenshaw/Noah Smith, Burleson Centennial, 6-2, 6-2; No. 3 Jackson Hill/Austin Lewis, Argyle, def. Caleb Chung/Tracy Harrel, Chapin; 6-1, 6-2; Grayson Taylor/Javier Teran, Amarillo High, def. Josiah Leggett/Rodolfo Motta, El Paso Bel Air, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2; No. 2 Grant Bristow/Connor Brown, Wylie, def. Evan Garza/Holman Harvey, Arlington Heights, 6-1, 6-0.

Quarterfinals

Brown/Bryant, Amarillo High, def. Pfeiffer/Shetty, Colleyville Heritage, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3); Mann/Warraich, Coronado, def. Ruddock/Shapiro, El Paso High, 6-0, 6-0; Hill/Lewis, Argyle, def. Mason/Posey, Aledo, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4; Bristow/Brown def. Taylor/Teran, Amarillo High, 6-3, 6-0.

Semifinals

Brown/Bryant, Amarillo High, def. Mann/Warraich, Coronado, 6-2, 6-1; Bristow/Brown, Wylie, def. Hill/Lewis, Argyle, 6-4, 6-4.

GIRLS

SINGLES

First round

No. 1 Meghna Arun Kumar, Argyle, def. Ariana Gomez, Fort Worth North Side, 6-0, 6-0; Gwen Robinson, Midlothian, def. Maria Steans, Amarillo High, 6-4, 6-1; No. 3 Kate Delgado, Wylie, def. Kenley Germany, Aledo, 6-1, 6-1; Kennedi Tovar, El Paso High, def. Bella Saenz, El Paso Parkland, 6-1, 6-1; Bradley Brown, Tascosa, def. Emerson Kosub, Rider, 6-2, 7-6 (2); Gracie Wood, Lubbock-Cooper, def. No. 4 Allison Leath, Denton Ryan, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3; Daniela Ocaranza, El Paso High, def. Brittney Pena, Midlothian, 6-0, 6-0; No. 2 Bianca Harris, Arlington Heights, def. Salma Matamoros, Parkland, 6-0, 6-0.

Quarterfinals

Kumar, Argyle, def. Robinson, Midlothian, 6-0, 6-0; Delgado, Wylie, def. Tovar, El Paso High, 6-0, 6-1; Brown, Tascosa, def. Wood, Lubbock-Cooper, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Ocaranza, El Paso High, def. Harris, Arlington Heights, 6-1, 6-1.

Semifinals

Kumar, Argyle, def. Delgado, 6-2, 6-1; Ocaranza, El Paso High, def. Brown, Tascosa, 6-1, retired.

DOUBLES

First round

No. 1 Eleanor Archer/Morgan Rose, Amarillo High, def. Ashlynn Barclay/Olivia Guzman, El Paso High, 6-3, 6-1; Eva Bernado/Justine Boehler, Midlothian Heritage, def. Sareinah Gutierrez/Natalie Navarette, Del Valle, 7-5, 6-1; No. 3 Kindall Alford/Suhejla Qinami, Wylie, def. Lauren Hull/Mia Rodriguez, Arlington Heights, 6-4, 6-2; Kotomi Nishihara/Eleny Sandoval-Almuna, Rider, def. Francesca Orvis/Olivia Underwood, Argyle, 6-2, 6-3; Elli Kate Bussmeir/Paige Federman, Aledo, def. Alyssa Pfeiffer/Kadence Phillips, Midlothian, 7-5, 6-4; No. 4 Helena Bridge/Kaylee Connally, Abilene Cooper, def. Tatyana Board/Sofia Morales, Clint Horizon, 6-0, 6-0; Abigail Hernandez/Alexis Hovis, El Paso Jefferson, def. Claire Matyastik/Taylor Tracy, Arlington Heights, 6-3, 6-3; No. 2 Allex Gonzales/Karli Lakey, Amarillo High, def. Stephanie Perez/Mili Trivedi, Colleyville Heritage, 6-0, 6-0.

Quarterfinals

Archer/Rose, Amarillo High, def. Bernado/Boehler, Midlothian Heritage, 6-0, 6-0; Nishihara/Sandoval-Almuna, Rider, def. Alford/Qinami, Wylie, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4); Bridge/Connally, Abilene Cooper, def. Bussmeir/Federman, Aledo, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0; Gonzales/Lakey, Amarillo High, def. Hernandez/Hovis, Jefferson, 6-0, 6-0.

Semifinals

Gonzales/Lakey, Amarillo High, def. Bridge/Connally, Abilene Cooper, 6-3, 6-0; Archer/Rose, Amarillo High, def. Nishihara/Sandoval-Almuna, Rider, 6-1, 6-1.

MIXED DOUBLES

First round

No. 1 Stealey Crousen/Trevor Short, Wylie, def. Kaitlyn Rodriguez/Dominik Vasquez, El Paso Burges, 6-0, 6-0; Isabella Benitez/Carsen Watson, Rider, def. Cate Swize/Cannon Wheat, Midlothian Heritage, 6-2, 6-2; Pranav Nambiar/Seren Wilson, Amarillo High, def. Mia Barrios/Guillermo Estrada, Horizon, 6-0, 6-2; Elaina Hildner/Jacob Thompson, Argyle, def. Paulia Lopez/Erick Saavedra, Everman, 6-1, 6-1; Toni Barnes/Justin Vargas, Parkland, def. Rosie Contreras/Luis Fuentes, Fort Worth South Hills, 6-4, 6-2; Caroline Artho/Carson Kersh, Amarillo High, def. Emily Adams/Surya Emandi, Grapevine, 7-5, 6-1; Scott Mason/Bryanna Orr, Aledo, def. Alexia Guevara/Alejandro Ochoa, El Paso High, 6-1, 6-0; Carly Bontke/Marshall McPherson, Wylie, def. Angelina Anderson/Cash Pippen, Cleburne, 6-3, 6-1.

Quarterfinals

Crousen/Short, Wylie, def. Benitez/Watson, Rider, 6-0, 6-0; Nambiar/Wilson, Amarillo High, def. Hildner/Thompson, Argyle, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Artho/Kersh, Amarillo High, def. Barnes/Vargas, Parkland, 6-0, 6-2; Bontke/McPherson, Wylie, def. Mason/Orr, Aledo, 6-3, 6-1.

Semifinals

Crousen/Short, Wylie, 6-2, 6-0; def. Nambiar/Wilson, Amarillo High, 6-2, 6-0; Bontke/McPherson, Wylie, def. Artho/Kersh, Amarillo High, 6-0, 6-1.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Region I-5A tennis: Lubbock-Cooper's Gracie Wood makes history