Like a stack of dominoes, the work and effort of individual athletes provide an example that motivates teammates to follow. Such is the case with Colin Scruggs and Brennan Becicka, the No. 1 players on the boys and girls tennis teams who help set a winning tone for the Dragons.
“Those two have been on varsity since they were freshmen,” Carroll tennis coach Corey Aldridge says. “Not only are they leading by what they do on the court and their successes — they're leading by example.”
The team effort from both the boys and the girls led to a 14-4 record and a trip to the Region I Final, though the Dragons fell just short of a trip to state. But the loss of Scruggs and Becicka, as well as a total of five of the team's top 12 players (two boys and three girls) means that other players will need to be ready to take leadership roles next season.
“Somebody will step up,” Aldridge says. “You don't always know who, but somebody will.”
Juniors Avi Kumar for the boys team and Bella Andrade for the girls are top candidates to take the No. 1 spots next fall. With 12 current juniors returning, the heavy senior presence should have an impact in 2022.
SEASON RECAP
The Carroll tennis team looked sharp as the fall season reached full swing. Compiling a 14-4 record and receiving a No. 6 ranking by the Texas Tennis Coaches Association (TTCA), the Dragons reached the Region I finals for a chance to earn a berth to the UIL tennis state tournament.
That was before tennis juggernaut Plano West stopped Carroll in their tracks during the regional final on Oct. 22, defeating the Dragons 10-2. Ranked No. 1 in the state by the TTCA, Plano West was the hurdle Carroll couldn't clear to reach state in 2020 as well.
“That [Plano West] boys team is probably one of the best in the country,” head coach Corey Aldridge says. “But if you're going to lose to somebody, you want to lose to someone who wins it all, and that was the case.”
It wasn't the first time Carroll fell to Plano West in 2021. Two of the Dragons' four losses came at the hands of the eventual state champs, including an early-season meet on Aug. 18.
Keller (No. 12 in the state) was the Dragons' biggest challenge during the District 4-6A competition, but Carroll handled their district match with a 14-5 final. Collectively, the Dragons outscored all six 4-6A opponents by a 104-10 total.
Entering the postseason, Carroll looked even more dominant, defeating LD Bell, Wolfforth Frenship, Abilene and Coppell in a 42-1 match total to advance to the Region I final where they fell to Plano East.
“I thought that our kids competed well overall and I thought that we had great team chemistry,” Aldridge says.