Carroll tennis brings back two state gold medals

The Carroll tennis team sent two singles players and a doubles team to the state tournament in College Station last week and came back with two gold medals.

Arman Dave breezed through the boys’ singles bracket while the boys’ doubles team of Matt Landers and Alec Reusche battled to claim another state championship for Carroll.

Another Dragons player, Nick Ryniak, had also qualified for the state tournament. He was eliminated in the first round by the eventual victim of Dave in the finals.

Carroll head coach Corey Aldridge commented that Dave met up with formidable competition but was able to clearly differentiate his abilities.

“All three players he faced were top-notch competition,” Aldridge said of Dave’s opponents. “He made really good players look average. We were lucky to have him playing well.”

Dave won his rounds in 6-1, 6-0; 6-2, 6-1; and 6-3, 6-1 en route to his state title in just his sophomore year.

He didn’t play varsity tennis last year as a freshman, instead playing in UTSA events.

“It was definitely a good decision for me,” Dave said of spending his time last year on the UTSA circuit rather than on the varsity level. “But the atmosphere of playing for your team was great.”

Dave lost went 28-1 this year, losing the only match his first time out in this spring season. He steamrolled his way to the state tournament and subsequently, the title.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win going in,” he said. “Having the team cheering for me made the difference.”

Although the scores weren’t close, Dave admits it was some of the most intense tennis he’s played.

Dave will play both varsity and UTSA events next season, he said, and now, both players and coaches will know who he is.

“A lot of the players knew me from UTSA events, but some of the coaches didn’t know me,” he said of a first-year varsity sophomore making his way to the 6A crown.

In doubles, Landers was making a return appearance to the state meet’s doubles brackets, but last year it was in mixed doubles.

“I’m feeling awesome,” Landers said after returning from the tournament. “I woke up a state champion.”

Last year Landers and his partner lost in the first round. This year, have Reusche as a partner helped Landers let go of playing mixed doubles, which he said “was always sort of my thing.”

Due to injuries during the course of the year, Reusche teamed with Landers for the first time in the district tournament.

“It was win-or-go-home for us,” Landers said of his first court time with Reusche. “We took our time and didn’t take it for granted.”

“It was really special for Matt and me,” Reusche said of the state tournament experience. “We had a lot of support from our friends and family the entire time. They were always pumping us up from the sidelines, giving us more energy and confidence in our play.

“For me and Matt, the tournament is a special moment we will never forget,” Reusche said.

The doubles team had to battle its way through the tournament, winning its matches, 6-3, 6-4; 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and 6-3, 6-4.

The duo won’t have a chance to repeat, as Landers will graduate and attend Texas while Reusche is a junior. Landers intends to focus on academics and will not play in Austin.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Carroll tennis brings back two state gold medals."