Maxson advances to Regionals

BELLVILLE – Navasota’s Kylie Maxson is leaving her mark in history becoming the first Lady Rattler tennis player to advance to Regionals. 

The Rattlers competed in the district tournament at Bellville High School March 29-30. Maxson, in her senior season, earned a bye in the opening round. She breezed past Wharton’s No. 2 player in the quarterfinals, 6-0, 6-1. In the semifinals she defeated Bellville’s No. 2 player and cruised to another 6-0, 6-1, win. 

In day two of the tournament, Maxson battled the No. 1 seeded player of the tournament, another player from Bellville. Maxson had several deuce points, but lost, 1-6, 2-6, to finish second. Since the third-place finisher, the No. 1 player from Wharton, hadn’t faced Maxson, she was forced to play a “playback” match. 

Maxson trailed 0-2 early but turned the match around capitalizing on her opponent’s weakness and eliminating her strengths. She won 6-2, 6-1, to officially earn second and advance to Regionals.  

Other District Action

Varsity

Junior Julian Jennings played in the No. 1 spot for the Rattlers in boys singles. In the opening match against El Campo, a back-and-forth match that lasted two hours, Jennings fell short 6-4, 3-6, 5-7. 

Francisco Herrera, another junior, played in the No. 2 spot for Navasota in boys singles. He lost a hard-fought opening-round game to Wharton 6-7, 2-7, 4-6.

In girls doubles, senior McKenzie Crawford and sophomore Kylie Ritter lost a tough battle in the opening-round to Needville’s No. 1 team, 5-7, 3-6. Almost every game went to deuce three times. 

Junior Varsity

Boys singles: Third place - Carlos Sandoval. Defeated Sealy 8-6, Bellville 8-5.

Girls singles: Alisha Bravo Pickering – lost to Bellville 2-8.

Girls doubles: Miala Harper and Grace Mendez – lost to Sealy 6-8; Ashley Santos-Castillo and Yamilete Zarate – lost to Bellville 2-8.