Ashley Hawk talks like a tennis player with something to prove. For the first time since 1996, there was not a team from Abilene in the finals of the Region I-5A tennis tournament. After losing seven seniors to graduation last spring, Abilene High may not have been expected to be quite as strong in the 2000 team tennis season. Abilene High really likes the Abilene Independent School District Tournament. Team tennis is no different than any other sport.
Coaches use the non-district season to prepare for the district campaign.
Uh, excuse me. It already is. Just call the District 4-5A tennis tournament a parity case. Four wide open draws, no dominant players and there may not be a 4-5A representative qualify for the state tournament. Cooper won both the C Division and the overall team title Saturday in the Abilene Eagle Invitational tennis tournament, while Abilene High's Beau Cox nailed down the boys A Division singles crown.