Scots Shut Out at State Tennis Tourney
By Joshua Koch / Special Contributor
COLLEGE STATION — With the match over, Highland Park’s Chandler Carter slung her tennis bag onto her shoulders and walked off the courts at the Mitchell Tennis Complex on Tuesday for the final time as a high school tennis player.
Carter teamed with sophomore Phillip Quinn in mixed doubles at the Class 6A state meet, but the duo fell to Dean Dulthummon and T.J. Fumagalli in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the championship match.
It marks the first year since 2001 that the Scots haven’t won a state tennis title. HP fell to New Braunfels for the 6A team championship in the fall.
Carter and Quinn played three sets in each of their matches, dropping a second-set tiebreaker in both of the first two rounds before rallying for a strong finish against opponents from New Braunfels and Cypress Ranch.
A year ago, Quinn was the runner-up in the same bracket at the state tournament, teaming with Margo Taylor. They also lost to a New Braunfels duo that included Fumagalli.
“I think we played great. I think they just got lucky on a couple of shots,” Quinn said. “But life goes on. I’ll be back next year hopefully.”
On Monday, the HP girls doubles tandem of Logan Lett and Brittany Newton won in straight sets in the quarterfinals, but fell in the next round to eventual champions Reagan Collins and Jessika Young of Lubbock Coronado.
In her time at HP, Carter racked up six state titles, including three during the fall team season, one in girls singles, and two in girls doubles.
“It was a lot of fun,” Carter said about her HP career. “Wish I could have won both this year but life goes on and I have four more years of college tennis. Looking forward to that.”
Carter will head to Wake Forest in the fall to continue her tennis career.
“I’m super excited, I love the team,” she said. “I love the coaches and I hope to improve more once I’m there. But it’ll be fun to see a different type of play. The people will be better and I will have to rise to the occasion.”
