Stillman, tennis players ready for state tournament

Nine Rio Grande Valley tennis players are ready for state.

None more so than Harlingen South’s Tomas Stillman.

The boys singles star, who lost last year in the final, will look to avenge that at the 5A State Tournament today and Tuesday at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center at the University of Texas in Austin.

Meanwhile, just up the road in Lakeway, four sets of La Feria doubles teams will play today and Tuesday in the 3A State Tournament at the World of Tennis.

But in Austin, Stillman is back in the state tournament once again, as he will take on Andrew Korinek of Mansfield at 9 a.m. in the quarterfinals.

Harlingen South coach Noe Stillman, Tomas’ father, said they are familiar with Korinek, who very well could be the top player in the draw.

"We knew him from USTA (tournaments), he’s a tough player," Noe said. "For us, he’s an aggressive player. Really smart."

Normally, you’d want to avoid the top player in the draw, but since it’s assumed that Tomas will have to face Korinek anyway, it might as well come when Tomas is at his best.

"We’ll be fresher and ready to take him on," Noe said "We’re going to have to beat him no matter what round it is." A win there and Stillman will face either Parker McGuiness of McKinney Boyd or Alex Stoupine of Houston Bellaire in the semifinals later that afternoon.

The final will be played Tuesday morning at 9.

"We play well and relax," Noe said. "We got a chance."

As for the Lions, they will have a full day of tennis.

Things begin at 10:15 a.m. when the boys doubles team of Onorio Ramos and Roy Randall will play Tim Brewer and Ethan McWhorter of Groesbeck in their quarterfinal match.

"They got a pretty good draw," La Feria coach Juan Hernandez said. "If they play good that day, they have a very good chance to make it."

The same can’t be said for the girls doubles team of Jackie Marquez and Karilu Hernandez, who drew Delaney Schroeder and Kelsey Wolfe of Abilene Wylie in their quarterfinal match at 11:45 a.m.

"They have the toughest draw," Hernandez said. "Abilene Wylie has probably the best 3A doubles team in Texas. It’s going to be hard, but my girls are playing hard."

Finally, at 1 p.m., mixed doubles gets underway as regional champions and last year’s state finalists Eli Ramos and Erika Gilbert will play Sam Dominguez and Brittany Slatton of Kaufman.

"They have the experience, they’ve been there," Hernandez said. "We couldn’t ask for a better draw."

Ramos was part of a doubles team that beat Dominguez earlier this year, on top of La Feria convincingly beating Kaufman in team tennis, as well. And while Gilbert lost to Slatton in a singles match, the Lions still like what they see.

"Hopefully this is the year," Hernandez said.

On the other side of the bracket, Jeremy Rodriguez and Alecxia Ceballos will face Laird Beaty and Courtney Johnson of Lindale. That, of course, sets up the chance of an all-La Feria final, which would be a crowning achievement for the program and the year.

"It’s a possibility," Hernandez said. "This year, we’re playing pretty good. That’s a pretty good possibility that that might happen."