Netting a title: All Saints’ Cate Clements, Ben Kiblinger win state tennis championships

Published 8:08 pm Thursday, April 11, 2019

The All Saints medalists at TAPPS 4A State Tennis Tourament include (from left) Charlie Michaels (third, boys singles), Ben Kiblinger (first, boys singles), Chandlee Catts (third, girls doubles), Cate Clements (first, girls singles) and Caroline Twaddell (third, girls doubles).All Saints Athletics/Photo

Cate Clements and Ben Kiblinger are state tennis champions.

The All Saints netters captured singles titles on Tuesday in the TAPPS 4A State Tennis Tournament at Waco Regional Tennis & Fitness Center in Waco.

They helped lead All Saints to runner-up finishes in both the boys and girls team competition.

Clements cruised to the championship in girls singles, giving up just four games in four matches.

She defeated defending champion Rachel Romel, of Schertz John Paul II, 6-1, 6-0 in the final.



Clements reached the finals by defeating Ellen Miller of Austin Veritas 6-0, 6-0 in the first round; Ansley Drenner of Austin Hill Country Christian 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Tayler Stockman of Pasadena First Baptist 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals.

Lubbock Trinity won the girls team competition with 19 points, followed by All Saints with 16 points and Austin Veritas with 14.5.

Kiblinger also jetted to the championship and gave up just three games in four matches.

He defeated James Merchant of Waco Vanguard 6-1, 6-1 in the finals.

Kiblinger won over Nathan Masso of Boerne Geneva 6-0, 6-0 in the first round; Ashwin Gurro of Midland Trinity 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals; and Carson Stroman Bolton of Lubbock Trinity Christian 6-0, 6-1 in the semifinals.

Teammate Charlie Michaels made it to the semifinals before falling in a tough three-setter to Merchant, 6-0, 6-7, 6-3. 

Michaels won over Tommy Yuan of Houston St. Thomas 6-4, 6-2 in the first round and Eric Lundeen of Austin Veritas 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Michaels won a bronze medal for third.

The Trojans finished second in the team competition to Waco Vanguard (19.5 points). All Saints had 17 points with Midland Trinity third at 13.

Karch Knoll and Ethan Marsh of Waco Vanguard won the boys doubles finals over Porter Hankins and Blake Carney of Midland Trinity, 6-1, 6-4. The All Saints team of Renn Stein and Surya Dasgupta fell in their first round match to Connor Davis and Leafe Sanders of The Woodlands Christian 6-4, 7-5.

The Austin Veritas team of Summer Apostalo and Elise Yellitz won the girls doubles title over Claire Bullington and Kay Lee Sedwick of Arlington Grace Prep, 6-1, 6-1.

The All Saints girls doubles team of Chandlee Catts and Caroline Twaddell made it all the way to the semifinals.

Catts and Twaddell won their first round match over Sophia Baer and AnnaBelle Cummings of San Marcos Academy 6-2, 5-7, 10-6. In the quarterfinals the Lady Trojans won over Channing Wicks and Kaitlan Cox of Lubbock Christian 6-4, 6-2. They fell in the semifinals to Bullington and Sedwick 7-6, 6-3.

Catts and Twaddell earned a bronze medal for third place.

Other members of the Lady Trojans’ state runner-up squad include: Olivia Young, Caroline Rowan and Shaanti Dasgupta.

Other members of the Trojans’ state runner-up team include: Jack Schoenbrun, Dylan Embry and Christian Bain.

Chris Singer and Jason Kern coach the All Saints teams.