For the second time in three years, the Wimberley High School Team Tennis squad has advanced to the UIL 4A state tournament.
The Texans punched their ticket to state by defeating district rival Boerne High School in the regional tournament. It was the fourth year in a row that the Texans and the Greyhounds met up in the regional final, with Boerne winning in 2020 and 2022, and the Texans victorious in 2021 and 2023.
The Texans dropped a heartbreaking home district matchup against Boerne on Oct. 4 by a final margin of 10-9. After losing in the regular season for the district title, knocking off Boerne to advance to the state tournament was a special moment for WHS Head Coach Kenneth Gustafson Kenneth Gustafson.
“It’s awesome,” Gustafson said. “We came into the season with pretty high expectations and hopes that we can make it. To lose to Boerne in the regular season and be sent down a more difficult pathway only to fight through it and get past (Boerne) was a pretty special moment.”
One of the main differences between this year’s and the 2021 team is an experienced boys team.
“Coming into that season, we had a boys team with nine seniors with the tenth being a junior,” Gustafson said. “They had already gone through a lot of the growing pains and got to the point to make that next big step. Whereas with this team, we have zero boys remaining from the 2021 team.”
Although the boys side might not have much experience, the Texans have been able to lean on their girls team, which includes a few that played on the State Champion team.
“It’s a brand new script, new roster that we have,” Gustafson said. “So, we’re leaning on the leadership from the girls we have but bringing some seniors on the boys side who used the last year and half to build up that battle- tested-ness and be ready for the biggest moment of the season.”
Seniors Ella Malone and Gwen Pierce are senior captains, members of the 2021 state championship team and spring tennis state qualifiers.
“Ella is a great leader and she’s done so much in tennis,” Gustafson said. “We’re fortunate to have her out there for us. Gwen is such a driving force on this team; she pushes (her teammates) so hard in practice.”
Rounding out the team captains is senior Joe Sheffield.
“Joe is our volume,” Gustafson said. “He brings the intensity. If you’re at one of our matches and you hear someone, it’s most likely Joe.”
The rest of the players competing for WHS this year are Logan Carpenter, Kate Carson, Kennedy Carson, Kyndan Gilley, Marcus Gonzales, Branton Kirchner, Ty Marko, Lea Martin, Maia Martin, Finn Mignerey, Maggie Moore, Emma Pierce, Drew Vinson and Tyler Youens.
Wimberley will kick off the State Tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 25 against the No.1 ranked Canyon Randall Raiders at the Waco Regional Tennis Center. The start time is 8 a.m.
If the Texans win, they will advance to the State Championship Game on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 11:30 a.m. — also at the Waco Regional Tennis Center.
