It was a first for Robert E. Lee spring tennis under coach Jessica Taylor.

That is saying something, considering Lee is a regular at regionals and recently won a state doubles title.

But REL had never captured boys, girls and mixed trophies at district — until Wednesday. Playing at the Tyler Tennis & Swim Club, Lee captured all three trophies while qualifying for regionals in boys doubles (2), girls singles (2), mixed doubles and girls doubles.

“I am so proud of them right now,” Taylor said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting this outcome. I knew we would do well in some divisions, but wasn’t sure how well we’d do in all of them. This is the best overall spring season we’ve had in my career year.”

Pacing the Lee girls were Kylie Reynaud and Casey Hadsall in singles, and Haley Belt and Morgan Hadsall in doubles. Reynaud raced through to the finals and made quick work of her teammate, Casey Hadsall on Wednesday, winning 6-1, 6-1. Those two games were the only Reynaud dropped in her three matches.

“It went pretty well,” said Reynaud, who was part of a district-winning mixed doubles team the past two years. “It was fun playing (Hadsall) in the final. We had fun.”

Their 1-2 finish helped put REL in pole position to win the girls trophy, but the Lady Raiders also needed a strong result in girls doubles. Belt and Morgan Hadsall provided that, reaching Wednesday’s final before falling to Mesquite’s Cinthia Chavez and Iveth Luna.

The boys doubles helped REL capture that trophy with the teams of Henry Schmoker-Rahil Doctor and Mason Berry-Robby Hill doing the heavy lifting. Both made it through to the finals with Schmoker and Doctor taking out their teammates, 6-2, 6-0.

Longview went 1-2 in boys singles, but Lee’s Jacob Sheats was able to eke out a third-place finish, defeating Mesquite Horn’s Armando Palacios to assure REL the boys title.

“It was a pretty good draw, but we knew if we persevered, we’d be okay,” said Schmoker about his doubles title.

Added Doctor: “The first match is always the toughest one because you have to get over your nerves and (the fear of) having that empty feeling in your stomach (if you lose early). This year we really stepped up as a team and it pulled us through.”

In mixed doubles, Catherine Butschi and Preston White lost to Longview’s Jenelle Kral and Ryan Pfaff in the final, 7-6 (6-1), 6-4. By finishing runner-up, Butschi and White earned a trip to regionals.

The Class 5A Region Tournament will begin Monday, April 16 at Waco Regional Tennis Center.

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District 11-5A Tennis Tournament

Tyler Tennis & Swim Club

Girls Singles

Third-Place — Logan Silvia, Mesquite d. Jessica Burroughs, DeSoto, 6-7 (6-3), 6-3, 6-2

Championship — Kylie Reynaud, Lee d. Casey Hadsall, Lee, 6-1, 6-1

Girls Doubles

Third-Place — Joslyn Smith-Courtney Alexander, Longview d. Nicole Robertson-Taylor Robinson, Lee, 6-3, 6-4

Championship — Cinthia Chavez-Iveth Luna, Mesquite d. Haley Belt-Morgan Hadsall, Lee, 6-3, 6-1

Boys Singles

Third-Place — Jacob Sheats, Lee d. Armando Palacios, Mesquite Horn, 6-2, 6-2

Championship — Paulo Pliego, Longview d. Nick Novy, Longview, 6-2, 6-4

Boys Doubles

Third-Place — Leo Romero-Everett Carew, Mesquite d. Sonny Jim-David Marquez, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3

Championship — Henry Schmoker-Rahil Doctor, Lee d. Mason Berry-Robby Hill, Lee, 6-2, 6-0

Mixed Doubles

Third-Place — Alix Tiegs-Nya Cheatham, DeSoto d. Jacob Mogle-Deidre Oliver, Lee, 7-5, 6-1

Championship — Ryan Pfaff-Jenelle Kral, Longview d. Preston White-Catherine Butschi, Lee, 7-6 (6-1), 6-4