Article by Greg Jaklewicz
Cover Photo Courtesy of WylieSports.com
Additional Photos via Abilene Wylie High School Tennis
It was more than 100 degrees on the Wylie tennis courts Tuesday afternoon but Wylie refused to melt under pressure from likely its chief District 4-5A rival.
Wylie defeated Wichita Falls Legacy 16-3 to open district play.
The Bulldogs swept the girls matches and won the majority of matches on the boys' side to prevail over the Leopards.
Top doubles showdown
The anticipated showdown at No. 1 boys doubles did not happen. Legacy’s brother duo of Hayes and William Clark blanked Wylie returnees James McCall and Witten Sides 6-0 in the first set and closed it 6-4.
Hayes Clark was half of Legacy’s state-qualifying doubles team last spring. They beat McCall-Sides, also state qualifiers, for the Region I title.
Wylie had a chance in the second set, coming from 2-1 down to break. The Clark boys put a quick stop to that, breaking right back to make it 3-3, then winning three of the next four points.
Errors and bad luck plagued Wylie. Several times in the match, one of the Clark players hit the ball into the net, only to see it crawl over to the Wylie side for the point.
A barn-burner at No. 2
The No. 2 boys doubles match proved to be a barn-burner.
Wylie lost the first set in a tiebreaker, but won the second set in a tiebreaker. That set up a 10-point tiebreaker for the win.
Wylie’s Wyatt Gilreath and Landon Cofer led 3–0 and 5-3. Halfway to the win, they went up 8-5. Legacy’s Hudson Clark - yes, there are three brothers on the varsity - rallied to tie it, take a 9-8 lead on an ace and win when Gilreath double-faulted.
Willis leads the girls
Wylie’s top girls’ player, senior Hope Willis, won her No. 1 singles match 6-0, 6-0, then teamed withSage Nilson to win 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 doubles.
Up next
The Bulldogs test Sweetwater on Sept. 10 before resuming district play against Abilene Cooper. Both matches are on the Wylie courts.
Hey Wylie Tennis Fans! Adopt-A-Bulldog for our tennis littles has opened. Click the link and adopt a tennis player. Spots are limited. Registration closes on Sept. 16.
