It will be an all-Trans-Valley League showdown on Wednesday when Ripon welcomes back Escalon for a semifinal match in the Sac-Joaquin Section Coed Team Tennis playoffs.
On Monday, the Indians blanked visiting Sonora 9-0 in a surprisingly-lopsided outcome. Ripon had previously faced Sonora in a nonleague match and won, 6-3.
“A little bit surprised, mainly because our doubles teams have had some struggles in recent matches,” Ripon coach Robert Mayfield said. “We thought it could be a very close match but we were pretty happy with the way everybody played.”
The Indians’ singles players lessened the pressure for the doubles teams with dominant performances. Bruce Coutrakis (6-4, 6-1), Nik Lengert (6-1, 6-1), Savannah Bickle (6-0, 6-0) and Shannon Wesley (6-1, 6-4) all won in straight sets.
Isaiah Sanchez and Ian Flanders helped clinch the team victory with a hard-fought triumph in the No. 1 boys doubles contest. They held off Sonora’s Louis Bouchet and Zach Whitmer, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
“I’m really proud of them because they were up in the second set 5-3 and let the other team get back into it. The Sonora players were energetic and loud and took a 6-5 lead, but Isaiah and Ian were able to force the tiebreaker. That was a big win and probably one of the better matches in the day. We’re going to need them to play well again against Escalon.”
The No. 2 doubles duo of Federico Entrade and Fidel Machado-Perez came from behind to knock off Sammy Page and Ross Irwin, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. Ripon’s two girls doubles teams — Hailey Johnson/Maddison Flanders (6-3, 6-2) and Emily O’Brien/Alli Hickman (7-5, 6-2) — swept.
At mixed doubles, Diego Franco-Carreno and Mandy Wesley defeated Duncan Ragland and Leah Dambacher, 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-2.
Ripon is preparing to see Escalon after twice squeezing out 5-4 wins over the Cougars in league. Ripon wound up with the outright TVL crown.
“It will be a fun rematch,” Mayfield said. “We get along great with them but I’m sure they’re looking to return the favor. It gets tougher anytime you have to play somebody a third time. We both know each other’s strengths.”