MacKenzie Benton, above, and Mikenzie Myrick, bottom right, teamed up to win the girls’ doubles championship at a tournament in Killeen last week. Lampasas finally tasted victory, and it could not have come at a better time.

After collecting numerous consolation championships, the Lampasas varsity tennis team finished in first place in the winner’s bracket Thursday for the first time this season.

The Lady Badgers returned home from last week’s multisite tournament in Killeen with three gold medals, as Ashley Hause won in singles, and Mikenzie Myrick/ MacKenzie Benton teamed up to win the girls’ doubles division.

Lampasas also earned a pair of second-place finishes at the tournament to give the team plenty of momentum as it heads into the district tournament today.

“Well, it was a windy day, [but we had some] good results in Killeen,” Lampasas head coach Kenneth Peiser said of the adverse conditions. “This was a good day of playing before we head off to district.”

PHOTOS BY RICHARD AKRIDGE The two-day tournament begins today at 8:30 a.m. in Marble Falls and continues Wednesday at 4 p.m. with finals, third-place matches and playback matches.

Seedings for the district tournament were revealed recently, and the gold-medal tandem of Myrick and Benton were placed fifth. Seeded teams receive a firstround bye, unlike placed teams.

“[Being placed] means they are good enough to put in the draw somewhere where they would not have to meet the first or second seed before the semifinals,” Peiser said. “They would run into the third or fourth seed first.”

The team of Zach Holcomb and Alvin Aleman also were placed fifth, while Mason Thornton/Alex Morua received a second-seed position.

Lady Badger Ashley Hause won Lampasas’ first gold medal in varsity singles at Killeen. PHOTO BY CLAY WHITTINGTON In girls’ doubles, Lillie Davis and Katie Shaw will begin play as a fourth seed.

At Killeen, Davis/Shaw competed at Ellison High School and finished second in “A” doubles competition. Also competing as an “A” team, Thornton/Morua placed seventh.

At Killeen High School, in the “B” doubles division, Holcomb/ Aleman defeated all their opponents until falling in the finals.

Lampasas also received a good showing from the team of Jeremy Cantu and Cheyenne Morrow who won the consolation championship for mixed doubles.

In other action, Kenneth McGuire/Katrina Salazar, Chris Monroe, Chris McWaters and Emily Bever all finished the day with a record of either 1-2 or 2-2.

While the trip to Killeen was successful, the team did not have much time to enjoy it with the district tournament looming.

“The players will play over the weekend since they now know the draws and who they will be playing,” Peiser said. “They can prepare themselves for the tournament.

“We will do some drill work Monday and then leave Tuesday for Marble Falls.”

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Lampasas’ junior varsity team also played its final tournament before district play begins next Tuesday at Pflugerville Hendrickson.

One week after producing the program’s first victory of the season, the girls’ doubles team of Aimee Aviles-Ponce and Nichole Queen finished second at the Copperas Cove JV tournament last week.

“They are playing well together and will hopefully continue the good work into district,” Peiser said. “Caitlyn Yates/Lexi Flemming also improved to [finish in] second place in their division. They have been playing well.”

In boys’ doubles, after dropping their first match Wade Martin/ Dylan Ham went 3-2 and fell in the consolation finals. Jacob Ham/ Bradley Poston lost in the second round.

Becca Northrup was defeated in the semifinals of girls’ singles.

Jonah Cantu and Kevin Robertson both won their first match but lost in the second round.

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Lampasas Middle School opened its season recently and had success.

In the seventh-grade division, Tara Pergande won the girls’ singles championship, while Caitlynn Shaugnessy/Blake Webb placed first in girls’ doubles.

Two Lampasas teams faced off in the boys’ doubles finals, as Shrader Davis/Tyler Connell defeated Lance Moore/Mason Morris.

“It was a very close match,” head coach Carrie Shahan said.

In the eighth-grade division, Danielle Chapman won the girls’ singles title.

Katy Carroll/Sheridan Brooks finished in second place of the girls’ doubles division after falling to a duo from Belton Middle School.

The eighth-graders also produced an all-Lampasas match, as Makayla Ellison/Sami McKenzie defeated Alexi Kaufert/Danesha Toro for the girls’ doubles consolation championship.

Lance Cofield/Marcus Morua placed second in boys’ doubles, while Jeremy Hughes/Tristan Myrick finished third.

“It was a very exciting day and a great start for the junior high tennis team,” Shahan said.