Hays senior Josh Bieter helped lead the Rebel tennis team into action last week in the regional tournament in San Antonio. Hays won two matches and eventually fell in the consolation finals to Gregory-Portland. (Courtesy photo)

The Hays tennis team ran into some good competition at the Regional Tennis Tournament held in San Antonio held Oct. 28-29. The Rebels ultimately ended their team tennis season in the consolation finals at regionals.

Top teams in the state such as Lake Travis, Alamo Heights and Boerne Champion were in the draw.

The Rebels faced Boerne Champion, the state runner-up in 2010, in the first round and found they were up against a very skilled team and fell to the Chargers 10-0. The Rebels rebounded by winning their next two matches against San Antonio Jefferson (10-0) and Austin LBJ (10-6).

“The LBJ match was a great matchup because our teams were pretty equal,” Hays head coach Debbie Cook said. “Our kids played some great tennis to capture the victory”

In the consolation finals the Rebels ran into a well-rounded Gregory-Portland team and fell by a score of 10-3.
“Our record of 2-2 in the regional tournament was a great result for us,” Cook said. “We knew the competition would be tough, but we were going in a give them all a fight.”

Cook said her team would remember their trip to regionals for a long time to come.

Hays tennis team players are: Caitlin Camp, Haley Butler, Katelyn Allred, Brooke Fulwiler, Grace Ortiz, Abby Knedlik, Jarett Stewart, Josh Bieter, Sarah Farrell, Ricky Hearn, Jackson Johnson, Raymond Hayes, Sam Simoneau and Zack Curry.

“Coach Lamar Smith and I are very proud of all of them,” Cook said. “This is something they can remember for the rest of their lives. We did face some tough teams and lost a couple of matches, but the experience was priceless. We did go down to San Antonio and represent not only Hays but the Kyle/Buda community in a great way and it was a lot of fun for everyone involved in Rebel tennis.”