Brownwood High team tennis will face an immediate test to open the 2026 season, playing four matches in three days before entering a larger and more competitive District 6-4A.

The first match is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday against Hereford at Rose Park in Abilene. Brownwood will then play Wall and Canyon West Plains on Friday before meeting Canyon on Saturday. The four-match weekend is the team’s only competition before district play begins.

A fast start in Abilene

The Abilene matches come less than a week after Brownwood held its first practice of the season. Coach Dalton Hutchins said the event is being organized by Cooper coach Rosenquist, who invited teams from around the region that Brownwood does not usually face early in the year.

“It’s great to see them pre-district and a good litmus test for us at the beginning of the year because we have some teams in our district that are pretty deep, like the Canyon schools, such as Brock and Peaster.”

Hutchins described the weekend as difficult but useful preparation for a district schedule that starts quickly. Brownwood will face Brock in its first District 6-4A match at 4 p.m. Aug. 20.

In previous seasons, Brownwood generally had two or three weeks of non-district matches to prepare. This year, the team is using the compressed Abilene schedule to get ready for district competition sooner.

“It’s a lot of tennis squeezed in a pretty short time, but that’s the best way we can prepare right now to jump into district. We’ll see how it goes.”

District competition expands

The new District 6-4A includes seven teams: Brock, Graham, Mineral Wells, Stephenville, Glen Rose, Peaster and Brownwood. The top four finishers will advance to the postseason.

Hutchins said the district is tougher this year and identified Brock as an especially early challenge because Brownwood will play the team immediately after the Abilene matches.

“We definitely play up, and sometimes when you play down you can lose to teams you maybe think you shouldn’t lose to. But I think this weekend is going to help us a lot because we play Brock right out of the gate for district.”

Hutchins said Brownwood’s players are known for competing respectfully regardless of the opponent.

“We’ll give anyone a good match no matter who they are.”

Players to watch for the Lions and Lady Lions

On the boys team, Hutchins cited seniors Blake Hutchins, Aiden Oplotnik and Cooper Morgan as players to watch. Blake Hutchins had a strong previous season with Ashlyn Bundick, including a 26-0 run in mixed doubles before the pair lost to the eventual state champions in the first round of regional tennis.

Oplotnik and Morgan have been in the program since seventh grade, making this their sixth year of tennis. Hutchins also pointed to freshmen Parker Dennison, Duncan Dennison, Logan Goodrich and Eli Risch as talented newcomers who could help begin a new era for the program.

“We’re going to end one legacy this year, but it feels like we’re also starting a new legacy at the same time.”

For the Lady Lions, the players named to watch are seniors Gigi Rodriguez, Jami Patterson and Amy Deechaleune. Hutchins said Rodriguez and Patterson had strong seasons last year, while Deechaleune has returned to the program.

The coach said the upperclassmen will be expected to guide freshmen competing on varsity, particularly as the younger players adjust to the mental demands of high-level matches.

“The freshmen boys need to know they belong here. They definitely have the skill, and we’ll see how much of the mental side they have.”

Hutchins also said Brownwood needs a stronger performance from the girls team. He noted that although the girls did not win many matches last season, many contests were close. To compete with district opponents, he said, the team must finish those matches.

“The match is not over until you shake hands, so play until the last point.”

Brownwood’s fall schedule

After the four matches in Abilene, Brownwood’s scheduled fall team tennis dates are:

  • Aug. 6: Hereford at Abilene, 4 p.m.
  • Aug. 7: Wall at Abilene, 8 a.m.
  • Aug. 7: Canyon West Plains at Abilene, 4 p.m.
  • Aug. 8: Canyon at Abilene, 8 a.m.
  • Aug. 20: Brock, 4 p.m.
  • Aug. 25: Brownwood at Graham, 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 1: Mineral Wells, 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 10: Brownwood at Stephenville, 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 15: Glen Rose, 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 22: Brownwood at Abilene Cooper, 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 26: Tri-match, location and opponents to be announced, 9 a.m.
  • Oct. 1: Peaster at Glen Rose, 4 p.m.
  • Oct. 5 or 6: Bi-district playoff, if qualified, time and location to be announced.

District matches are marked with an asterisk in the published schedule. Brownwood’s postseason path will depend on its finish among the seven District 6-4A teams.