HARLINGEN — The Sharyland High Rattlers tennis team is the last team standing in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Rattlers defeated the Harlingen South Hawks 10-5 in a Region IV-5A team tennis quarterfinal Monday at Harlingen South.
Harlingen South, the District 32-5A champion, and Sharyland High, the District 31-5A champ, met before district. The Rattlers won that match as well, but the Hawks were as tough then as they were Monday, Sharyland High co-head coach Mike Salinas said.
“I think they came together,” Salinas said about his team. “There was a lot of tiebreakers that went our way, and they just came out and played competitive.”
Sharyland High went up 5-2 after doubles. The Rattlers won two tiebreakers in doubles to give them the three-point advantage headed into singles.
The Rattlers’ girls won every match they had before reaching the 10-point threshold, going 7-0. Sharyland High also won the mixed doubles match.
Alamo Heights will be Sharyland High’s opponent in the fourth round after they defeated Cedar Park on Monday. Alamo Heights defeated Sharyland High the past two seasons in the fourth round, also in 2018.
“Last year, even though the score did not reflect it, it was the most competitive year against them. It is just, our depth needs to match their depth.”
Harlingen South’s boys went 5-2 and boast returning state qualifiers and others with regional tournament experience for the upcoming individual season.
Harlingen South head coach Ernesto Escamilla was proud of how his team performed against a well-coached Rattlers squad in doubles and in singles.
“I couldn’t ask for anything else,” Escamilla said. “They competed hard, and my hearts goes out to my players, my seniors. They have been working so hard.”
Sharyland Pioneer was eliminated in a Region IV-5A quarterfinal Monday as well, losing to Corpus Christi Flour Bluff. The Diamondbacks, Hawks and Rattlers were the only teams to make it to the third round from the Valley in Class 6A, 5A and 4A.
The focus for the UIL tennis players now switches to the individual season.
PLAYOFFS
Brownsville Hanna, Edinburg High, Edinburg North and Harlingen High all won bi-district titles this season in Class 6A before losing in the area round.
Brownsville Veterans and Mission Veterans won bi-district titles, while Harlingen South and Sharyland Pioneer took home area championships in Class 5A.
Port Isabel, La Feria and Weslaco IDEA Pike won bi-district titles in Class 4A. La Feria had a bye after winning the District 32-4A title.
