MIKE GIBSON / DMN

Casey Powers envisioned back-to-back state doubles championships at the beginning of the season. After winning the 4A title with Max Stevens in straight sets in 2006, he knew, with a year of state tournament experience, they would be tough to stop.

A conflict with a tournament in California, however, forced Powers, a TCU signee, to play singles instead of doubles in district competition.

"I hadn't played a lot of singles early," Powers said. "At state, I honestly didn't know who was playing. I just knew there was going to be a lot of tough comp in doubles.

"The only person I knew playing singles was Zach Nichols, and that's because we're both going to TCU."

Powers and Nichols, a Lake Travis senior, met up in the state final. Powers lost, 7-5, 6-4, but he never hung his head. He had played singles in all of four tournaments.

Three of the tournaments were for district, regional and state competition.

"I still felt like I'd get to state, but I knew it wouldn't be easy," Powers said. "I'm not disappointed because I gave my best. I was probably more disappointed because I was so close. I could see the finish line."

Powers said the switch to singles competition on the state level made him more of a versatile player. He mixes a strong baseline game with excellent net skills.

Powers is hoping his versatility leads to a successful career at TCU.

"Playing college tennis is going to be exciting," he said. "It's going to be a different kind of challenge, but I'm ready to meet that challenge."

dsayles@dallasnews.com

Notable: Class 4A state finalist

About Powers: Powers, a TCU signee, was this year's 4A Region II singles champion. He owned a 13-2 record for the season. He was a 4A state doubles champion in 2006 with Max Stevens.

Did you know? He was born in Monaco, and French was his first language.

Notable: Class 5A state semifinalist

About Kadi: Kadi, a move-in from New Orleans, became Coppell's first boys tennis player to qualify for state. Kadi qualified for state competition in boys doubles twice in Louisiana.

Did you know? "I can dunk. I'm about 5-7, and it's hard to do, but I've done it."

Notable: Class 5A state semifinalist

About Dobbs: Dobbs, an Idaho signee, made his second trip to state. Dobbs was the 5A Region II runner-up this year. He won the Region II championship last year.

Did you know? "One of my favorite hobbies is fishing. I just got into it."

Notable: Class 5A state quarterfinalist

About Sheikh: Sheikh played doubles with Daniel Hwang last season and lost to eventual 5A state champs Stuart Keplar and Nick Plum. Sheikh lost a three-set match to Andrew Dobbs in singles play this year.

Did you know? "My first cousin was the first Persian football player in the NFL, [kicker] Ali Haji-Sheikh."

Notable: Class 2A state finalist

About Siu: Siu is North Hills' only state medal winner in the school's two-year history. He won a bronze medal in last year's state tournament.

Did you know? "I game a lot on the computer. My favorite, right now, is Counter-Strike."

Notable: Class 3A state finalist

About Smith: Smith, who has committed to play for Tyler Junior College, made his second trip to state. Smith was the 3A Region II champion. His older brother, Connor, won a 3A state title in 2003.

Did you know? "I am an artist. I won a contest where my artwork's going to hang in the capitol building in Washington."

Notable: Class 4A state champions

About them: Keplar (Pepperdine-bound) and Plum (Weber State) became the first team in 11 years to win three consecutive doubles championships. They won 5A titles in 2005 and 2006.

Key to their success: "We used our school coaches [Jim Morrison and Sammi Gunter] and private coaches [Craig O'Shannesy and Lance Hagan] and got input from them." – Keplar

Notable: Class 5A state semifinalist

About them: Hayes and Nottoli became the first Carroll team to qualify for state since Carroll became a 5A school in 2002. Hayes is headed to Texas, while Nottoli is going to Baylor.

Key to their success: "It was our experience overall. We played a lot of matches against good teams." – Hayes

MIKE GIBSON / DMN

Al Kuntemeier has been a tennis coach for 31 years, 26 of those at Fort Worth Nolan. For the last four years, he's watched Kristen Rafael make his job easy.

"I really can't even say I coached her," Kuntemeier said. "She was way past my expertise. All I did was moderate her, in a sense, and be her sponsor on tennis trips."

That's how good Rafael, a Grand Prairie resident, has been throughout her high school career. And that's how good Rafael was, particularly during her senior season. Rafael was undefeated and won the TAPPS 6A singles championship, her third state title.

The senior was just as strong academically. She will attend Notre Dame, but she also took visits to Harvard and Princeton. Rafael was in the top 10 percent of her class.

Tennis, however, fuels Rafael. Her application essay to Notre Dame, focusing on something she was passionate about, involved tennis and how important it is to her.

"When I step on the court, nothing else really matters," Rafael said. "Even the times when I felt sick, I could step on the court and feel fine."

Rafael lost only eight games at state and beat Ursuline's Peta Maree Lancaster, 6-3, 6-3, in the final. Lancaster defeated Rafael in last year's state final, foiling Rafael's plans to claim four consecutive TAPPS singles championships.

Rafael said winning state as a senior was on her to-do list, but it wasn't a high priority.

"I really didn't go into [the season] with expectations," she said. "I went into it being my last year and having fun. I wanted to make the school proud."

dsayles@dallasnews.com

Notable: TAPPS 6A state champion

About Rafael: Rafael competes in International Tennis Federation tournaments, which are a step below the WTA Tour.

Did you know? "I like boxing. Muhammad Ali is my favorite all-time."

Notable: TAPPS 5A state champion

About Johnson: The 15-year-old was undefeated in her first high school season. She defeated Houston Second Baptist's Kim Falgout, 6-0, 6-0, in the state final. Johnson has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the state in Girls 14s singles.

Did you know? "I like to go to the beach and bodysurf."

Notable: Helped ESD place second in the SPC Championships

About Eckel: Eckel, an Oklahoma signee, has been ESD's top girls singles player since her freshman season. She has been ranked as high as No. 22 nationally.

Did you know? "My favorite thing to do in my free time is to bake cookies."

Notable: Class 4A state semifinalist

About Kazarova: Kazarova made her fourth consecutive trip to state. She won the 4A Region II championship in April. Kazarova will play for North Texas.

Did you know? "I've always wanted to try out kickboxing, especially after tennis."

Notable: Class 5A state finalist

About Viriyapunt: Viriyapunt was a state quarterfinalist last season, losing to eventual champion Pavi Francis. Viriyapunt moved to Texas from Hawaii in February 2006.

Did you know? "I'm an impatient person. Very impatient."

Notable: Class 4A state semifinalist

About Zavgorodni: Last year's 5A state runner-up fell to eventual 4A state champion Lilly Kimbell of New Braunfels. Zavgorodni overcame a broken left foot in February to shine in postseason play.

Did you know? "I speak three languages fluently – Spanish, Russian and English."

Notable: Class 4A state champions

About them: Schreimann and Stainback, with their state final victory, kept Highland Park's streak alive of winning a girls singles or doubles title every year since 2002.

Key to their success: "Off the court, we have a lot in common. We were able to bond off the court so when we got on the court, it was easy for us." –Schreimann

Notable: Class 5A state finalists

About them: Akin and Weygandt, making their first trip to state, capitalized on a second chance of playing together. The team lost in the district semifinals last year. Akin has signed with North Texas.

Key to their success: "I think it was all about teamwork, working together and always supporting each other no matter what." – Akin

Notable: Class 5A state semifinalist

About them: Last year's 5A mixed doubles champions lost to eventual state champs Lauren Sanacroce and Jonathan Alexander from Klein. Cooper played in her fourth state tournament, and Lateko played in his second.

Key to their success: "I think it was our determination to win and our experience of playing tennis." – Lateko

Notable: Class 4A state finalist

About them: Chermel and Roy were paired halfway through the spring season and went undefeated all the way to the state tournament. Chermel has signed with North Texas.

Key to their success: "We worked hard outside high school tennis. We got along outside the court and communicated well with each other." – Chermel

Notable: Five of his players won 4A medals at state.

About Holden: In six seasons, Holden has coached 10 individual state champions. He was named the Texas Tennis Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2006.

Did you know? "I love to read historical books. I'm an amateur historian."