WEST SACRAMENTO — Manteca High’s boys tennis team played its final match of the season Monday, but coach Frank Fontana is hoping his young players are more battle-hardened because of it.
River City’s depth and experience proved to be too much, as it advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III finals with a 7-2 victory. It will be an all Tri-County Conference championship, as second-place Inderkum stunned Manteca’s Valley Oak League rival Kimball, 6-3.
The Raiders won all three doubles matches but had to squeak out four three-set wins in singles play. Freshman Solmon Aniss swept Alex Vigil 6-1, 6-2 in the No. 1 matchup for Manteca (15-5). No. 3 Si Hao Tang beat Gabriel Montres 7-5, 6-1 for the other point.
“All year we did struggle with winning the close matches and today was no different,” Fontana said. “Everyone fought for each and every point, but we came out slow and looked nervous. Sometimes I think you can want to win too much and the pressure can get to you. We knew this was going to be a tough match and it turned out like we thought.”
In the other singles matches, River City’s Joseph Johnston beat Kyle Thornburg 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Joshua Sharon held off Yok Eyh Ma 6-1, 5-7, 6-2; Antonio Quenga defeated Lenard Gutierrez 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; and William Chan came back to top Matt Pabla, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Manteca’s top doubles team of Dhillon Patel and Kevin Lin dropped a 1-6, 2-6 match to Jacob Aguilar and Erinn Spear. No. 2 tandem Kurtis Ma and Rey Anaya (2-6, 2-6) and No. 3 Cameron Gonzales and Jose Jimenez (3-6, 2-6) were also swept.
“In reflecting on what we accomplished this year, the guys should be proud of what they did,” Fontana said. “They kept the Manteca High playoff streak going and they won a playoff match (last week at Patterson). The guys gave me everything they had today and have all season and in the offseason. They work hard and hopefully we will be back here again next year.”
Coed
Riverbank 5,
Ripon Christian 4
RIVERBANK — Ripon Christian was able to get points from all girls matches in the quarterfinal showdown with the Trans-Valley League champion Bruins.
Singles players Avery Veilleux (6-4, 6-3) and Tess Chang (6-2, 6-4) beat their opponents in straight sets. The No. 1 girls doubles match — won by Hannah Lockwood and Carly Eastham 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 — was the only contest to go three sets. Amanda Neely and Aubry Lein also won, 6-3, 6-1.
In a battle of between league MVPs, Riverbank’s Nathaniel Martinez downed Southern League champ Jake Van Vuren 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 boys singles.
