Concordia’s Varsity Boys Tennis team had quite the season with all six of their players earning trips to the 2023 TAPPS 6A State Tournament in Waco on April 17-18. The dynamic #1 Boys Doubles team of Gavin Borne ’23 and Chase Cook ’23 earned the second overall seed in the 16-team doubles bracket following their District Tournament Title at the beginning of April.
Last year, Borne reached State with his doubles partner Aaron Liu ’22 and is trying to better their semifinal placement from 2022. For his career at Concordia, Borne has competed in both doubles and singles (primarily doubles) and has a one of best win/loss records of any boys tennis player in school history at 57-19 overall and two District Doubles titles and now two State Semifinal appearances, both which earn All-State honors.
Cook has stepped in well to fill the shoes of Liu, who had been Borne’s doubles partner the last two seasons at #1 Doubles. Cook has not only physically grown taller, but his game has reached new heights each season helping the duo hold an impressive 22-5 record this season. Cook’s career record is 36-19 primarily playing doubles.
In the first round, Borne/Cook dominated Ft. Worth Nolan Catholic’s #2 Doubles team, 6-0, 6-4. Then, in their quarterfinal match, the team won a nailbiter against Houston St. Thomas’ #1 Doubles team, 6-1, 3-6, 11-9, after being down 4-6 in the 3rd set tie-breaker.
Borne/Cook have had four 3rd set tie-breakers in their last five matches, winning all of them. They will need that clutch play as they face the x2 defending Boys Doubles State Champions from Trinity Christian Addison in the semifinals on Tuesday morning at 10 am. The two teams squared off in the Fall TAPPS Team Tennis Tournament and the Trojans clipped the Crusaders 6-1, 6-2.
Concordia’s #2 Boys Doubles team, comprised of Josh Henson ’23 and Jack Sherman ’24, also earned a spot in the doubles bracket but drew the top overall seed and lost in the first round in straight sets. This was the first time where both varsity doubles teams for the boys team made it to State in the same tournament.
Ryan Bell ’25, Concordia’s top boys singles player on the season, also earned a spot at State but faced a tough draw against the #2 overall seed, ultimately losing in the first round in straight sets as well. #2 Singles Max Dowden ’24 was tabbed as a State Alternate and got to travel with the team and was ready to step in as needed if anyone had to miss the tournament.
For the first time in available school records, all six members of the Varsity Boys Tennis Team advanced to the State Tournament. Borne/Cook are looking to be the first Boys Doubles State Champions in school history and the first tennis state champs since 2014 when Blanche Strunk ‘14 and Michala Burns ’15 won the Girls Doubles state title.
For the Lady Crusders, Cecilia Dailey ’23, Concordia’s #1 Girls Singles player, qualified for the 16-player singles bracket following her great senior season and district tournament finish. Like Bell, she also drew the #2 overall seed and lost in the first round in straight sets. For her career, Dailey finished with 37 wins over three seasons. The Lady Crusaders #1 Doubles team of Alessandra Dewenter ’23 and Ashley Ells ‘23 also earned a trip as the State Alternate team and got to support the Crusaders on the court.
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Concordia Tennis in the News: https://www.vype.com/Texas/Tx-Private-Schools/serving-success-sader-nation-tennis-on-the-path-for-state
To learn more about Tennis at Concordia, visit www.SaderNationTX.com/tennis