SAN ANTONIO – Boerne High sent four players to this year’s 4A state tennis tournament in San Antonio and all four returned to Boerne with state medals – one gold and three bronze.
Justin Koth won the 4A boys singles title over Zach Couch of Longview in the finals Wednesday morning to earn gold.
“It feels great man,” Koth said immediately after winning the title. “It feels great.”
Koth beat Couch, 6-3, 6-4, despite not have a scouting report on Couch.
“I didn’t know anything about him going into it, I wasn’t expecting to play him, I was expecting somebody I knew,” he said. “After the first couple of games I settled in quickly and I got a feel for his game a little bit.”
There was a large crowd around the court as Koth and Couch battled for the state title but Koth said he didn’t mind it.
“It’s the biggest crowd that I ever had, I think it helped me, they were cheering for me and that helped my energy and positivity,” he said. “I was more focused than nervous.”
Koth took the first set but Couch had a slight lead early in the second round, but the Boerne sophomore pulled away in the second set with some timely shots.
Koth won silver at state as a freshman last year and now gold as a sophomore. His brother Ryan Koth won two gold and a silver at state while at Boerne. Justin said his goal is to catch his older brother who is now playing at St. Mary’s University.
“The goal is to outdo him,” said Justin, whose mother Jodie Koth is his BHS coach. “It’s not an easy task but that’s the goal.”
Koth knocked off Payne Brock of Burkburnett in the opening round, 6-2, 6-1 and then faced Emilio Rodriguez of Lindale in the semifinals and won, 6-0, 6-3 to take on Couch.
Boerne Bronze
Boerne seniors Sophia Norwood and Eleanor Stokes earned bronze medals on Tuesday in girls doubles after they defeated Madison Varela and Kinsey Weatherly of Vernon in the state quarterfinals, 6-2, 6-2.
Later in the day, Norwood and Stokes took on Sawyer Sewell and Kristyn Dunn of Wills Point and they were defeated in the state semis, 6-3, 6-4, to finished tied for third and earn bronze medals.
In girls singles, junior Chloe O’Connor won her first-round match against Kirby Marek of Bellville, 6-4, 6-0. Later in the day, O’Connor challenged Stormy Tatum of Gatesville and was defeated, 6-3, 6-0, to finish tied for third and earn bronze.
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