Franklin tennis team continues momentum into regional semifinals in Class 6A
Earlier this month, Franklin captured its first team district title in tennis since 1997.
Now the team is on its way to the regional tournament.
How the Cougars got to this point
Franklin has defeated Midland Legacy, Keller and Byron Nelson to advance in the postseason.
What's next?
The Cougars will face Plano West at 2 p.m. Central Time on Thursday at the Rose Park Tennis Center in Abilene. If they win, they will play the winner of Southlake Carroll and Coppell on Friday.
If Franklin wins the regional tournament, it will move on to the state tennis tournament on Oct. 25-26 in Waco.
Karina Lee steps up on girls side
Sophomore Karina Lee has been one of the team's best and most consistent players all season as the team's No. 1 singles player.
"Our team is so close and hard working and I draw motivation from that," she said. "I give my best effort each day and try to be a great teammate. I hate to lose and I'm very determined out there. I just try to be the best all around player I can be."
Lee comes from a tennis background. Her mother Kateryna Romanenko is a former Division I tennis player and has been crucial to Lee's passion for the game.
"My mom has taught me so much," Lee said. "She's been great to learn from and she's always there for me."
What others said
"Our confidence keeps growing with each win in the playoffs and our goal is to get to the state tournament," boys player Ayden Fraire said.
Added coach Samantha Isaac: "Our kids have worked so hard to get to this point and everyone has had a great attitude."
More: El Paso HS Results EL Paso high school sports results: Football, Volleyball, Team Tennis
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X (Formerly Twitter)
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Franklin tennis team to meet Plano West in Region 1-6A semifinals
