Juniors compete at the Cotton Bowl

ATA’s super championship qualified 16s and 18s players traveled to Dallas this past weekend to compete in the Cotton Bowl Super Championship Major Zone. Coaches, Strecker, Houston, Schoenmakers, and Davis traveled with the team to Dallas.

Blake Davis earned five straight wins on his way to winning the Cotton Bowl crown. Davis defeated four seeded players in a row to take the title, including the nine seed R. Bader, and the three seed T. Brown, both in three set matches. In the semi finals Davis faced the number one seed Chris Camillone, who he took down for his third three set win in a row, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(9). In the finals he faced Ben Guthrie, the two seed, who he defeated 6-3, 6-2. Alex Durham defeated the nine seed David Salazar 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 for his second win and a spot in the round of 16. Chase Curry, also a nine seed, defeated A. Chu 7-5, 6-1 to reach the round of 16 where he fell to the number three seed. After dropping his opening match, Jonathan Stockdale faced S. Katrein in the third round of consolation. Katrein, the eventual finalist, took the match in two tight sets.

In the boys 18s B draw, Donny Hackett faced Joey Good in his first match. Hackett took the first set 6-3, before Good grabbed the next two, 7-5, 6-1.

In the boys 16s A draw, Josh Hagar defeated Josh Fischer 6-2, 6-3 in his opening round match. Next he faced teammate Taylor Shamshiri, who defeated A. Frias 6-2, 6-1 in his first round. After dropping a tough first set 6-7(5), Hagar rebounded to take the second 6-1, when Shamshiri was forced to retire due to an injury. Matthew Sparks battled George Rivers in his first round match, taking it in a tough three sets, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Aaron Chaffee faced the three seed first round, going down 6-4, 6-2.

In the girls 16s A draw, Claire Cahill fought back from a first round loss to earn four straight wins and a spot in the consolation finals. In the consolation quarter finals, she faced the nine seed M. Magday, taking the match 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Next she matched up with M. Pieratt, the five seed, who she took down 6-1, 6-1 for a spot in the finals. Brooke Hughes faced M. Pieratt also in the main draws opening round, taking the match 6-3, 6-2. She then defeated J. Manlapaz 6-2, 6-1 for a place in the final eight.

Conor O’Rourke bounced back from a first round loss in the boys 16s B draw to earn five straight wins and claim the consolation crown. He faced E. Tyler in the final round, taking the title 6-3, 6-2. Rob Steinwedell faced Wayne Chang in his first match. They competed for three close sets, with Chang eventually taking the match, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. In his next match, Steinwedell found himself amid another dogfight against Charles Martin who eventually won, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Elliot Blatt faced the three seed V. Hansberger first round, going down 7-5, 6-2.

Raymond Traweek rebounded from a tough first round loss to take down the number four seed K. Funk. Traweek took the match 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.

The Cotton Bowl Super Championship Major Zone is not only a top tier Texas tournament, but adds the element of withstanding the winter whether. To succeed in Dallas requires a resiliency that these junior athletes have developed in their time training at ATA.