Article By Greg Jaklewicz
Photos Courtesy of Abilene Wylie High School Tennis
Bulldogs Punch Ticket to State
Wylie advances to Class 5A Final Four with dominant regional run
WACO — The Wylie High School tennis team on Friday emphatically punched its ticket to the Class 5A team tennis tournament.
At the regional tournament in Wichita Falls, Wylie eliminated Argyle 10–2 and Grapevine 10–5 to become one of only four teams still playing.
State Tournament Bound
The turnaround is quick. Wylie heads to central Texas on Wednesday for a rematch with Frisco Centennial at 11:30 a.m. at Hurd Tennis Center on the Baylor University campus.
The winner will face the survivor of the Corpus Christi Flour Bluff vs. College Station A&M Consolidated match earlier that morning.
Breaking Down the Matchups
Wylie enters with a 24–2 record, having played the most matches of any remaining 5A team. Flour Bluff, however, is undefeated at 25–0.
The Bulldogs will take on two-time defending champion Frisco Centennial. While Centennial won easily a year ago, Wylie earned revenge earlier this season with a thrilling 10–8 victory.
Centennial (14–5) is making its fourth straight Final Four appearance. The Titans last reached the finals in 2022, falling 10–7 to Amarillo High — the same team Wylie had to defeat this year to keep its 2025 journey alive.
A History of Success
This year’s matchup has shades of déjà vu. Wylie beat Class 6A powerhouse Allen 11–7 earlier in the year — a team Centennial lost to, 10–9. One of Wylie’s two losses came against another 6A juggernaut, Southlake Carroll, 11–8. Southlake, meanwhile, defeated Centennial 11–4.
Those numbers suggest an edge for Wylie, but the margins are close — and every point will count.
Chasing the Elusive 5A Title
Wylie is looking for its first-ever Class 5A championship on its fourth try. The Bulldogs finished as state runners-up in 2018, 2021, and 2024.
Overall, this marks Wylie’s eighth appearance at the state tournament. The Bulldogs previously claimed Class 4A state championships in 2014, 2016, and 2017, also reaching the semifinals in 2015.
A Legacy of Leadership
Head Coach Adam Cherry now joins elite company, taking a Wylie team to state for the second time — matching his mentor and former Wylie coach Mark Hathorn, who is now assisting Cherry at McMurry University.
The Bulldogs’ story continues in Waco — and this time, they’re chasing history.
It’s great to be a Wylie Bulldog!