DAVE FAVILA | Staff Writer
With the District 32-6A tournament only a couple of weeks away, the San Benito Lady Greyhounds tennis team is beginning to come into its own.
Senior Derrick Layton has won three varsity tournaments this season, including the Kingsville Spring Roundup, which involved a bevy of teams from the Corpus Christi area. Layton is competing in the Laredo United Spring Invitational this weekend.
Junior Carol Carrizales, meanwhile, has been a consistent force on the court and won the Kingsville Spring Roundup earlier this year.
Finally, sophomore Molina Pena has won a couple of junior varsity events, including the Laredo Border Olympics and the Kingsville Spring Roundup.
BIG WEEK FOR BIG RED: The Harlingen High mixed doubles team of David Gracia and Kaitlynn Jones spent their Spring Break weekend picking up gold medals at the Dominion Tournament in San Antonio.
It was the duo’s fourth tournament win of the season as they also had first-place victories at the South Texas Tennis Coaches Association Tournament, the Harlingen Varsity Tournament and the Laredo Border Olympics.
Their overall record now is 23-1.
Individually, Gracia won the singles title at the Brownsville Invitational in February where Jones took home a second-place singles finish.
Meanwhile, the boys doubles team of Alec Macmanus and Jacob Canales has also had a stellar season and took home gold in the Dominion Tournament last week. It was their second win of the season as they also won at the Brownsville Invitational.
Finally, Mike Canales has done well this season despite being a freshman. This past week he advanced to the semifinals at the Dominion Tournament and earlier in the year he placed fourth in the Corpus Christi Battle of the Bay event.
Up next for the Cards is a tournament in La Feria beginning today. However, Harlingen head coach Jay Tanamachi said Macmanus and Canales are sitting out the event in order to concentrate on their grades.
“Macmanus is currently No. 1 in his class and we want to make sure he graduates valedictorian like his brother did two years ago,” Tanamachi said.
IT’S KEEN TO BE GREEN: As usual, the Harlingen South tennis program looks to be the team to beat in the upcoming District 32-6A tournament, which is set for April 6-7 in Weslaco.
And the Hawks are riding a wave of success heading into the event led by the girls doubles team of Jessie Alfaro and Thiffany Yeupell.
Recently, the duo reached the semifinals at the Spring Branch Tournament in Houston a couple of weeks ago.
“They played well and should be one of several of our kids in the running to qualify at the district meet,” said Hawks head coach Noe Stillman.