With one game away from being district champs, the first time in more than 20 years, the tennis team defeated rival Clemens 17-2 Tuesday in Schertz.

They take on the 1-7 Judson Rockets on Oct. 13.

Against Clemens, the  team took all the doubles, going up 7-0 and taking the early lead. They lost only one boys singles and one girls singles after winning 10. 

With Clemens and New Braunfels being thorns in the team’s side for years, this was the first season the team defeated both.

“I haven’t been here long enough to know when the last time we won the district title,” Coach James LaLonde said. “The New Braunfels win was definitely a big one this season, but a few years ago we beat Clemens and lost to New Braunfels.”

After the team won the 10th match, LaLonde said he felt relief and joy.

“Our team could really sense that we have something going on here,” he said. “We are doing well, just the sense that we have a really strong team and everyone believes we can do it. Just the relief that we did it.”

LaLonde and the team are resetting their goals now for the bidistrict tournament.

“i think we will have to keep working hard and plan a little bit and see what happens,” LaLonde said.  “The Northeast district, I have been doing a little scouting on and it is going to be tough. The Northeast district has some really good teams in it. 

“The teams are Reagan, Johnson, Clark and Churchill. Reagan is one and Johnson and Clark play Friday to determine the two and three which means Churchill is the four. One match at a time is what we are looking at.”

LaLonde agreed with senior Maddy Haas that the camaraderie is different on the team.

 “It has been amazing that something that happened last week comes to mind,” he said. “One of the girls wasn’t having a good week, and some of the girls made her a gift basket to make her feel better. Things like that where the guys and girls are always hanging out going to dinner outside of school and practice”