Marcus Kleckner found some opponents who kept the ball in play and made him hit shots but that only allowed the Burkburnett senior to find his rhythm.
Klecker, a state semifinalist last year but the No. 2 seed in the Region I-4A Tournament in Lubbock, won three straight-set decisions Wednesday to earn a spot in the I-4A final Thursday at the McLeod Tennis Center.
Kleckner will face No. 1 seed Lane Adkins of Abilene Wylie in the final. Adkins defeated Ryan James of Hirschi 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals.
Kleckner had a 6-0, 6-1 win to begin his day but was tested some in the quarterfinals in a 6-2, 6-2 win over Angel Alaniz of Pecos. And then Burkburnett coach Shane Newman felt Harrison Hawkins of Glen Rose "picked up his level and really played" against Kleckner in a 6-4, 6-2 semifinal.
"Marcus played well; he had to battle in certain spots to win those sets and keep it from being tougher," Newman added.
Vernon's Sarah Castleberry and BT White will also play for a I-4A championship in mixed doubles. The Lions earned the No. 2 seed and then backed it up with two lopsided wins (6-0, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-1) before a tough-as-nails semifinal with Heritage. But Castleberry and White were ready and earned a 7-5, 6-4 victory. They'll face No. 1 seed Kaitlyn Hathorn and Davyn Williford in the final.
Burkburnett's girls doubles team of Kaylee Kahn and Jasmine Shrubs didn't get a seed at the meeting so they beat one, the No. 4 team from Fort Stockton, in a three-hour marathon quarterfinal.
The Bulldogs' duo had to stay on court till nearly 10 p.m. before falling to Wylie's Elle Schroeder and Andrea McMillan 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals. Burk will face Seminole in the third-place match.
Other area tennis players to win at least once at regionals were Libby Tseng of Iowa Park; Ethan Curtis/Rahul Bhakta of Vernon; and Joseph Mayfield-Savana Mayfield, of Hirschi.