Amarillo High welcomed home two new state championship plaques, after Wade Byrant and Kelton Brown’s win in the Class 5A boys doubles State Championship against Frisco Centennial. In addition, Eleanor Archer and Morgan Rose won in the Class 5A girls doubles State Championship against Frisco Liberty. This now makes Wade a two-time boys double-state champion.
“Wade Bryant and Kelton Brown are the Class 5A Boys Doubles State Champions,” Coach Koby Otto said. “They had an epic semifinal win over a tough Mission Sharyland team yesterday and then played their best tennis in the finals this morning over Frisco Centennial.”
Along with the boy’s championship, Eleanor Archer and Morgan Rose are this year’s class 5A girls’ doubles State champions. State marked a large achievement for Eleanor in her tennis career. She has won state gold in singles, mixed doubles and now doubles. This achievement is rare among 5A and 6A athletes due to their need for excellence in varying disciplines.
“Eleanor Archer and Morgan Rose are the Class 5A girls doubles state champions,” Otto said. “They had to fight back from being down in the finals. They overcame an unorthodox playing style from their Frisco Liberty opponents. Once we made a couple of adjustments, they played really well and dominated the final set.”
This season also marks an incredible win for the AHS Tennis team as Morgan Rose, Wade Bryant, Kelton Brown, Allex Gonzales and Karli Lakey advanced to state competitions and won, surpassing the previous record of state qualifiers in the district from one school.
“My first thought after we won the match to go to state was, ‘Holy crap we are going again’,” senior Kelton Brown said. “But the actual feeling I had after winning the match was just pure joy and adrenaline rush.”
Eleanor Archer and Morgan Rose placed as regional champions in the girl’s doubles. Wade and Kelton Brown placed as regional champions in the boy’s doubles. Last, but not least, Allex Gonzales and Karli Lakey placed runner-up in the girl’s doubles competition. These students will be competing in the state tournament on April 25, 2023.
“I am thrilled about being able to go to state in my last season,” senior Karli Lakey said. “It is a great way to close out my senior year.”
With such incredible results, these student-athletes have worked long and hard to get to where they are now. In fact, senior Eleanor Archer finished off the district games strong as one of the undefeated players, ending her high school career as the most successful tennis player in AISD history. Ever since her sophomore year, she has won state, from singles to mixed doubles and doubles. Three wins in three years is an amazing and rare occurrence at the 5A and 6A high school tennis levels.
“I am so happy that all our hard work paid off and that we are going to state,” Junior Allex Gonzales said. “Having a doubles partner to share this with and go through the same experiences with makes it even better. I want to make the last year that we will have together count.”
