Totorica, Runyan get POY nods

Boys Singles Player of the Year

KYLE TOTORICA

School: Reagan

Class: Junior

Highlights: Totorica advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals. He outlasted Aiden Lee of The Woodlands in a third-set tiebreaker in the state quarterfinals before falling to Tyler Steward of Midland in another tough three-setter. … Totorica repeated as Region IV-6A champion. … Totorica was the 2019 Express-News Player of the Year. (There was no AllArea team in 2020 because of the pandemic).

Girls Singles Player of the Year

BROOKE RUNYAN

School: Devine

Class: Senior

School: UT-Permian Basin Highlights: Runyan didn’t drop a set on her way to winning the Class 4A state championship, defeating Stormy Tatum of Gatesville 6-3, 6-4 to become Devine’s first state champion in girls singles. … Runyan was the school’s first boy or girl to advance to the final since 2004. … Runyan is also Devine’s valedictorian.

Boys Doubles Team of the Year ROBERT HUNT

AND BALIN PATEL

School: Alamo Heights Classes: Hunt (senior), Patel (junior)

Highlights: Hunt and Patel advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals after defeating Luis Hurtado and Hudson

White of A&M-Consolidated in the first round. They lost to Sansh Kuman and Sanjaya Kodali of Frisco Independence 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals.

Girls Doubles Team of the Year LEXI HARREL

AND SHAYNA MEEK

School: Kerrville Tivy

Classes: Harrel (senior), Meek (junior)

Highlights: Harrel and Meek advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals after defeating Kindall Alford and Stealey Crousen of Abilene Wylie 7-6 (6), 6-4. Dallas Highland Park’s Cambell Henderson and Hayden Bethea beat them 7-5, 6-3 in the semifinals.

Mixed Doubles Team of the Year OLIVIA ALVAREZ AND DAVID LINDSAY

School: Fredericksburg Classes: Alvarez (junior), Lindsay (junior)

Highlights: Alvarez and Lindsay were the only area mixed doubles tandem to advance to state, reaching the

Class 4A state quarterfinals.

Selection process: Staff writer David Hinojosa picked the teams based on performances at state and regional tournaments.

Jerry Lara / Staff photographer Devine’s Brooke Runyan didn’t lose a set on her way to winning the Class 4A state title and becoming her school’s first girls tennis champion.

Marvin Pfeiffer / Staff photographer Alamo Heights’ boys doubles team of junior Balin Patel, left, and senior Robert Hunt advanced to the Class 5A state semifinals.

Marvin Pfeiffer / Staff photographer Reagan junior Kyle Totorica earned his second Express-News Player of the Year honor after reaching the state semifinals, where he dropped a tough three-setter.

Marvin Pfeiffer / Staff photographer Kerrville Tivy’s Lexi Harrel, left, and Shayna Meek got to the Class 5A state semifinals in girls doubles.