After picking up hardware a year ago, a couple of Mexico tennis players earned some during the summer.

Junior Katie Gooch finished fifth in 16 and under girls singles and fifth in 16 and under boys doubles with Brendan McKeown (not enough entries for mixed doubles).

Gooch placed fifth at the Show-Me State games a year ago and has been playing all summer, girls tennis head coach Kim Costley said. Costley said Gooch was No. 2 as a freshman and sophomore and is on her way to moving to the No. 1 spot on the team this fall.

Last year, Gooch earned all-North Central Missouri Conference honors on a Mexico team that finished second in the conference tournament.

“Katie has been playing all summer and has added a lot of pace and a new serve to her game,” Costley said. “She has her eye on qualifying for the state tournament.”

McKeown earned second-place all-conference honors last season and also finished third in individual district competition.

Boys tennis head coach Tony Senor said McKeown showed up 2-3 times a week at Mexico’s open courts that ran from May to July.

“He also was preparing for soccer season during the same timeframe,” Senor said. “He has the goal of qualifying for the state tournament as an individual.”