After the area round of team tennis, only three Rio Grande Valley teams remained: Harlingen South, Sharyland High and McAllen Memorial, all from Class 5A.
Only one remains after Monday: Sharyland High.
The Rattlers, the District 31-5A Champions, did not lose a single match in the bi-district and area rounds and they continued that feat Monday by defeating the Hawks 10-0 for the spot in the regional tournament.
“I think our team showed up. They knew they needed to get business done and they did,” Sharyland High coach Rosario Palacios-Cavazos said. “We are very proud of them.”
Harlingen South’s No. 1 boys team, Diego Garcia and Ethan Carter, took Sharyland High’s No. 1 team of Koen Aggarao and Fredrich Buquel to a 10-point tiebreaker set after coming back from losing the first set.
It was pretty evenly matched, but Aggarao was the difference. The sophomore’s forehand was strong and accurate, as well as his serves. Garcia and Carter had their moments against his serve, but Aggarao and Buquel finished strong to win the 10-point tiebreaker 10-5.
The No. 1 girls doubles match also went to a 10-point tiebreaker. Grace Shahin and Layla Modesto of Sharyland High beat Harlingen South’s Caitlyn Morales and Abigail Aguirre 10-7 in the tiebreaker.
“Even though the score reflects 10-0, we had a lot of tiebreakers and those could go either way,” Harlingen South coach Ernesto Escamilla said. “I am just very proud of the work they put and the fight they came with, it just did not go our way.”
Sharyland High was up 6-0 after the tight doubles matches at the top cleared the court. The Rattlers quickly won the singles matches, securing each match without dropping a set and advancing to the regional semifinals round.
“Pretty much everybody from top to bottom added their part to it,” Sharyland High coach Mike Salinas said. “It was not just the top of the lineup; it was everybody. They all contributed equally. When you go play the tougher teams up in regionals, that is what you need.”
Sharyland High takes on the winner of Kerrville Tivy and Alamo Heights at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio. If the Rattlers win, they will play in the regional championship match at 10 a.m. Friday at the Blossom Tennis Center.
“This is one of the better teams we have had in sometime. I am hoping they do well and bring it in San Antonio,” Palacios-Cavazos said.
McAllen Memorial, the other team in action Monday, lost to Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial 10-2 in Falfurrias.
Doubles
Boys No. 1 – Koen Aggarao/Fredrich Buquel (SH) d. Diego Garcia/Ethan Carter (HS) 6-2, 6-7(5), (5); No. 2 – Hugo Garcia/Kevin Von Nacher (SH) d. McLean Wittenbach/Jakob Hanks (HS), 6-1, 7-5; No. 3 – Abiel Pena/Guillermo Garcia (SH) d. Leo Garcia/Vicente Rodriguez (HS), 6-2, 6-1; Girls No. 1 – Grace Shahin/Layla Modesto (SH) d. Caitlyn Morales/Abigail Aguirre (HS), 6-3, 2-6, (7); No. 2 – Shyrabelle Buquel/Ximena Uresti (SH) d. Tabitha Torres/Emma Moreno (HS), 6-3, 6-1; Emilia de la Cruz/Camila Hinojosa (SH) d. Jaylynn Sanchez/Mary Charvat (HS), 6-3, 6-1.
Singles
No. 1 – Koen Aggarao (SH) d. Diego Garcia (HS), 6-3, 6-1; No. 2 – Hugo Garcia (SH) d. Ethan Carther (HS), 6-2, 6-4; No. 3 – Guillermo Garcia (SH) d. Leo Garcia (HS), 6-1, 6-0; Girls No. 2 – Shyrabelle Buquel (SH) d. Abigail Aguirre (HS), 6-3, 6-3.