Kilgore's Parrymore, Mercer headed to regionals

Mitch Lucas, Kilgore News Herald, Texas
·2 min read

Apr. 17—It's been a tough year, and tough district competition for the Kilgore High School tennis team, but one group of Bulldogs has fought their way through the district tournament and advances to regionals — the dream of going to the state meet still alive.

Kilgore's girls doubles team of Mary Bess Mercer and Madalynn Parrymore won their division in the district tournament last week in Longview, and will play again in Longview in regionals on Monday and Tuesday, April 26-27. The girls won't know their opponent, coach Jason Maroney noted, until the seeding meeting on April 25.

At district, Kilgore was fourth overall in team points behind Lindale, Spring Hill and Bullard. In girls team points, Lindale finished first with 37 points. Bullard was second (32.5), then Spring Hill (32), Kilgore (10.5), Henderson (16.5) and Chapel Hill (0). Kilgore was third in boys team standings, behind Lindale and Spring Hill.

Parrymore and Mercer had a first-round bye at district, then beat a Spring Hill team of Krenek and Bodenheimer, 6-2, 6-1, and beat a Bullard team, 6-2, 6-4 before falling in the finals to Lindale, 6-2, 6-0.

In mixed doubles for Kilgore at district, Jaci Pyle and Greg Chism beat Henderson's Portillo-Harber team, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, but then lost to Bullard in round two. Kilgore's Axel Lira and Janette Chavez did similar, beating a Henderson team, 6-1, 6-2, in round one, then losing to a Bullard duo in round two.

In boys doubles, Kilgore's Chase Borders and Bryce Borders had a first-round bye, and then the brothers outlasted a team from Bullard, 4-6, 6-3. 6-2, and although Lindale won boys doubles, the Borders brothers won a playback for third, beating Spring Hill, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4.

Also in boys doubles, the Kilgore team of Kenneth Exline and Garrett Lumpkins beat a Henderson team, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in round one, but lost in the second round to Spring Hill.

Drew Adamez of Kilgore had a first-round bye, then defeated Henderson's Jacob Kendall, 6-5, 7-5, but lost in the third round to eventual boys singles champ Jared Maeker, 6-1, 6-1. Also in boys singles, Grayson Cavel had a first-round bye, but lost to Spring Hill's Michael Coggins, 6-4, 6-4.

Avery LeMaire, in girls singles for KHS, had a first-round bye, but lost to Henderson's Leah Harvey, 6-2, 7-6, in round two. Chavez also played in the girls singles division for the Bulldogs, but lost to Henderson's Emili Simmons, 6-2, 7-6 (3).