Vidor Tennis Championships

[KFDM COOP]

BC's Maceda, Armstrong win 21-3A mixed doubles

Van Wade

The Orange Leader

VIDOR — Friends forever.

That’s what Bridge City’s Shanita Maceda and Devon Armstrong say they will be.

The duo certainly played like that Thursday as they rolled to the mixed doubles title at the District 21-3A Tennis Championships at Vidor High School.

The Cardinal tandem rolled in the championship match, dismantling Silsbee’s Tori Garner and Eric Toups 6-3, 6-0.

“This is such a tremendous feeling,†said Maceda. “Devon and I have worked so hard for this moment.â€

“We really came out and played hard in the championship after a tough semifinal,†said Armstrong. “We really thought we could do this when the season started and we accomplished our goal.â€

They both leaned on each other throughout.

“Devon, he’s like a best friend, on and off the court,†Maceda said. “He really bailed me out on some shots today. If I mess up, he’s always there to back me up.â€

“Shanita doesn’t give herself enough credit, she made a lot of good plays at the net today,†Armstrong said. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner. Hopefully we can take things even further by playing well at regionals.â€

The duo defeated Hardin-Jefferson’s Scott Archer and Blake McGlaun 7-5, 6-3 in the semifinals.

Orange County will also be represented at the Class 3A Region III Championships in Bryan Apr. 23-24 by the Orangefield Lady Bobcat doubles team of Erin Kelley and Katy Talbot and in girls singles by Bridge City’s Katelyn Reynolds. They all finished second in their venues.

Kelley and Talbot advanced to the finals where they fell to top-seeded Shana Landry and Morgan Whitmire of Kirbyville 6-4, 6-1. The Bobcat tandem advanced by defeating Silsbee’s Monica Morales and Gabi Sherman 6-0, 7-6 in the semifinals.

The duo have had an amazing run this season after both played singles last season.

“We had a good run, I just wish we could’ve beat the Kirbyville team,†said Talbot. “We’ve played them three times and they’ve had our number this year. I’m just so excited about having a chance to go to regionals again.â€

The two definitely help each other out when things get tight.

“Our games kinda offset each other,†Kelley said. “Katy is so strong at the net and my ground strokes are pretty good. We feel like we can make up for each other’s weakness and that makes for a good team.â€

Reynolds fell to two-time state qualifier and top seed Salina Aranda of Kirbyville in the finals 6-0, 6-0. Reynolds advanced by defeating West Orange-Stark’s Amelia Lee 6-1, 6-0 and Kirbyville’s Charity Cucancic 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.

In boys singles, Orangefield sophomore Tyler Angelle placed third overall.

Angelle defeated Cameron Johnson 6-1, 6-1 in the first round, downed WO-S’ Sam Webb 6-0, 6-0 in the quarters, and fell to eventual champion Matt Deaver of Silsbee 6-0, 6-0 in the semifinals. He bounced back to defeat Silsbee’s Paul Eaton 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 in a hard-fought third-place encounter.

Also in boys singles, BC’s Clayton Rowe downed WO-S’ Darin Gibson 6-2, 6-0 and fell to Eaton 6-3, 6-2 in the quarters. WO-S’ Webb toppled BC’s Logan Bryant 7-5, 7-5 before falling to Angelle. Orangefield’s Pleas Evans fell to H-J’s Matt Minick 6-0, 6-0 in the first round.

The Bridge City boys doubles team of Hunter Gothia and Blake Hanson captured third-place by defeating Hamshire-Fannett’s Taylor Adams and Jake Wilber 1-6, 6-1, 6-2. They fell to eventual champions Alan Bell and Nolan Nix of H-F 6-0, 6-1 in the semis. Gothia and Hanson advanced to the semis by knocking out Kirbyville’s Cole Atkinson and Chance Preston 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 and Orangefield’s Kellen Free and Jeremy Granger 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

In other doubles action Orangefield’s Nathan Badeaux and Johnathan Broussard topped BC’s Anthony Delgadillo and Vu Nguyen 6-4, 7-5 and fell to Kirbyville’s Kyle Cofty and Conner Fuller 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. WO-S’ JohnRoss Fuller and Trey Batchan downed Silsbee’s Chance Hillin and Hosien Zare 6-0, 6-0 and fell to H-F’s Wilber and Adams 6-4, 6-1. WO-S’ Patrick Laurence and Tim Moran downed Jasper’s Christian Navarette and Zach Wise 6-2, 6-0 and fell to Bell and Nix 6-1, 6-2. OF’s Free and Granger toppled Silsbee’s B.J. Oster and Jacob Reynolds 6-4, 6-2 before falling to Gothia and Hanson.

In girls singles, OF’s Cheyenne Williams downed BC’s Laci Ener 6-1, 7-6 and H-J’s Corrie Cooper 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. She fell in the semifinals to Aranda 6-0, 6-0 and lost the third-place match to Cucancic 6-4, 6-1. OF’s Kristina Schisler toppled H-J’s Katie Raymond 7-5, 6-2 and fell to Cucancic 7-5, 6-2. WO-S’ Lee defeated Ellen Rogers 6-4, 6-3 before falling to Reynolds in the quarters. In girls doubles, WO-S’ Virginia Anthony and Rebecca Griffin toppled H-J’s Kacy Shaffer and Kala Wells 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. BC’s Lindsey Garcia and Kayla Veillon beat Jasper’s Tamika Cooper and Britney Hadnot 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 and lost to Silsbee’s Monica Morales and Gabi Sherman 6-0, 6-1. OF’s Ariel Cook and Valen Johnson nipped H-J’s Jannie Castillo and Lyann Castillo 7-5, 6-3 and fell to eventual champions Whitmire and Landry 6-0, 6-2. WO-S’ Gabrielle Saucier and Cassie Thompson fell to Silsbee’s Brittany Burrell and Rachel Easley 6-2, 6-2.

In mixed doubles, BC’s Jacob Ballard and Meredith Miller toppled OF’s Toliver Grimes and Kacie Williams 6-0, 6-0 and fell to Kirbyville’s Devin Moore and Lane Tippett 6-4, 6-7, 7-5. OF’s Caleb Powell and Shelby Price fell to H-J’s Scott Archer and Blake McGlaun 6-1, 6-2.