Lindale High School's team tennis program has secured a spot in the UIL Team Tennis State Tournament, returning to state competition for the first time since 2022. The Eagles will compete in the Class 4A semifinals against undefeated Canyon Randall (32-0) on Wednesday at 8:25 a.m. The match is scheduled to take place at the Northside Tennis Center in San Antonio. Lindale enters the match with an 11-9 season record.
The Eagles earned their spot in the state tournament through a strong postseason performance. They achieved a 10-0 victory over Palestine, followed by a 10-2 win against Pleasant Grove. Lindale then defeated Wills Point 12-4 and secured their ticket to state with an 11-5 triumph over Kaufman.
Lindale Head Tennis Coach Randal Namanny described the team's season as challenging, noting he crafted a rigorous schedule that included numerous top-ranked 5A and 6A teams. Namanny stated that the team “embraced the schedule” and battled through tough losses, recalling a point in the season when their record stood at 1-9. This challenging schedule, which saw them play teams like Tyler Legacy, Frisco Reedy, Longview, Rockwall, Ennis, Corsicana, Hallsville, Texas High, and Rockwall-Heath, ultimately made the team stronger, according to the coach.
Senior Natalie Velarde reflected that while the early tough matches initially hurt confidence, the experience revealed “how much better we are than the normal 4A schools” because of the early challenges. Senior Alex Koeshall echoed this sentiment, realizing the team's potential while competing against 6A opponents, especially after losing many seniors the previous year. Koeshall noted the team “rose to the occasion” and surpassed their own expectations.
For the seniors, the journey holds particular significance. Senior Olivia Gorman expressed the “amazing” feeling of reaching San Antonio with closest friends, many of whom she grew up playing with. Koeshall emphasized the hard work invested over four years and the privilege of this opportunity. Senior Luke Rucker recalled the disappointment of being stopped at regional quarterfinals last year, making this year's regional win, especially the decisive victory over Kaufman, a much better experience. Velarde described the accomplishment as “surreal,” stating that they had been working towards this goal for a long time.
The semifinal match brings a rematch aspect, as Canyon Randall previously defeated Lindale in the 2022 state semifinals. At that time, current Lindale players were in junior high. Canyon Randall went on to win an undefeated state championship in 2022 and also claimed a state championship in 2024.
Coach Namanny's strategy for the upcoming match focuses on keeping the team calm and focused, relying on the mindset they demonstrated in their recent regional wins. Koeshall stated that the team needs to “play fearless” and approach the match with a fighting mentality, knowing they must earn the win. During matches, the team's vocal support includes chants like “Let’s go Lindale, let’s go Eagles” and a post-win yell, “Dig what? Dig deep!” Gorman noted that hearing teammates win encourages players during their own matches.
The winner of Wednesday's semifinal will advance to the state championship match on Thursday at 8:25 a.m. in San Antonio. Their opponent will be either Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway (22-2) or Waco Robinson (11-4).
The Lindale team roster includes seniors Riley Borger, Levi Browning, Olivia Gorman, Soren Kitavi, Alex Koeshall, Natalee Lothringer Moore, Luke Rucker, Justin Smith, Zoey Snider, and Natalie Velarde. Juniors are Rylee Francisco, Karla Hernandez, and Dania Snoubar. Sophomores include Jaxon Davis, Bowen Delafield, Sonja Hines, Brady Hollingsworth, Gabby Kellogg, Konner Pena, Alayna Rogers, and Levi Rucker. The coaching staff comprises Randal Namanny, Dustin Hollingsworth, and Ike Anders.
