Wednesday, May 13, 2009
AUSTIN — Four Central Texas tennis players took to the courts Tuesday morning with visions of gold dancing in their heads.
But it was silver that ended up dangling from their necks.
Robinson senior Tucker Mueck, Cameron senior Brittni Fausett and Midway’s mixed doubles combo of freshman Kenna Kilgo and junior Kolby Kilgo each fell in straight sets in championship matches at the state tournament.
Mueck completed his collection of all three state medals, adding a Class 3A boys’ singles silver to the gold and bronze he won as a doubles player as a junior and freshman, respectively, with a 6-3, 6-1 loss to Argyle’s Will Stein.
“Tucker fought the whole time, he never once gave up,” Robinson coach Jack Gregory said. “That’s the thing I’m proud of. A lot of kids when they get down like that start tanking or giving up. He fought all the way through, it’s just that Stein was the better player today. He played almost a perfect match.”
Mueck and Stein stayed on serve until 3-all in the first set, when Stein broke for the lead and dropped only one game the rest of the way.
Gregory said he knew Stein was going to be tough, based on his 6-4, 6-1 semifinal win over Silsbee’s Matt Deaver, who Mueck defeated in the regional final.
“I thought it was going to be closer than it was,” Gregory said. “I was expecting a really tight match. The score is a little deceptive. They were really close games, but Stein was really aggressive. He did a great job of coming to the net and put points away and kept us on the defensive.”
Mueck said he felt like he played well, but was hurt when Stein’s aggressiveness forced the Rocket to hit short shots. When Mueck was able to go for his shots, he just missed.
“I was OK with the way I played,” Mueck said. “I felt like I was hitting everything just right. When I went for it, it was just out by a few inches. He was a really good player and put a lot of pressure on me and I just didn’t hit the right shots. I was having to go for a little too much and I was hitting a lot of short balls, and you can’t do that at this level.”
Despite the loss, Mueck held his head high with a smile on his face as he was greeted by a throng of Robinson fans, which included several students, after the match.
Gregory said that kind of attitude is what he’ll miss the most about his four-time state qualifier.
“The excitement, the fun is what I’ll miss,” Gregory said. “I think it’s a great tribute to him to see that there were 75 to 80 of the kids that were here, who had never been to a tennis match before. It’s a tribute to Tucker and the type of kid he is. It’s a tough way to go out, but at the same time, what better way than at state with friends.”
Only a few points separated Midway’s Kenna and Kolby Kilgo from the 4A mixed doubles crown, as they were edged in a pair of tiebreakers by Richardson Pearce seniors Hannah Kelley and Johnny Kelley.
In a match that went back and forth the entire way, the Kelleys came up with the points they needed at the right time to finish their high school careers with state championship, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6).
“They were really tough and they just kept pushing,” Kenna said. “And we kind of lost focus. We had the match under our belts and we kind of let up some and they took it to us. We played pretty well, but they just stepped it up at the right moments.”
Kolby said there wasn’t really much difference between the first meeting between the two teams, a 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 regional semifinal win for the Kilgos, but added that match gave the Kelleys extra motivation.
“There were a few key points that were lost, and that just made or broke each side,” Kolby said. “They came out with more heart and more battle in them today, looking for revenge.”
Fausett, who won a pair of 2A state girls’ singles titles at Winona in 2006 and 07, came up short in the 3A girls’ singles final, 6-2, 6-2 to Brooke Dennis of Abilene Wylie.
“My game wasn’t on,” Fausett said. “I didn’t have a good day. It was her day and not mine. It just happens like that sometimes.”
While Mueck and Fausett played their final high school matches Tuesday, Midway coach Troy Simonek has the Kilgos back for next season.
“It’s tough to swallow right now, but as far as what they though I love these guys and I’m proud of what they do that gets them here,” Simonek said. “No matter how today finished it’s about what they put in that makes them who they are. I can’t be more proud of them. They did an awesome job, and I’m sure they’ll be back next year.”
jorts@wacotrib.com
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