Brownsville St. Joseph sophomore Francisco Gamez won the TAPPS 5A boys singles state championship and the Bloodhounds finished in second place as a team earlier this month.
“It feels very good,” he said. “I am excited and motivated because of it. I was really proud of myself because of all the hard work and effort that I put in throughout the years.”
In his first match, Gamez took down an opponent from the British International School of Houston 6-2,6-1. Then the sophomore defeated his next challenger from Boerne Geneva by the same score. Gamez continued to cruise in the semifinals with a 6-2,6-2 win against a Fort Worth opponent.
The young Bloodhounds tennis champion did not find grabbing the title as easy as advancing in his previous matches.
“It was a very long match,” he said.
Gamez finally lost a set in the tournament, but prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in a match that took place in the middle of the day.
Being the state champion as a sophomore might come with some added pressure, something that Gamez is aware of. St. Joseph tennis coach Oscar Garza is aware of it, too.
“If you keep training hard, you should keep winning,” Garza said.
Gamez will continue his training at the Brownsville Tennis Center and through a summer of tournaments in the United States and Mexico. Gamez said it is logistically easier at times to go to tournaments in Mexico compared to some places in the United States.
“He is really dedicated,” Garza said. “He never lets up and is very disciplined on and off the court. He knows what he achieved, it is a big milestone, but he worked hard for it. I am happy for him.”
The state title was the cherry on top of a good season for Gamez. The sophomore said he gained a lot of experience as he consistently finished on podiums throughout the area en route to his singles championship.
Gamez and the boys doubles team of Juan Kattas and Fabricio Masso accrued points during the tournament toward the team standings to help SJA finish in second place.
“The whole team trains very hard,” Garza said. “Day in and day out, they play hard. I am very happy for them, and we will continue to practice hard for next year.”
