The Ripon High coed tennis team got clutch victories from its doubles tandems, and the Indians ended visiting Escalon’s Trans-Valley League win streak at 88 with a 5-4 stunner last Friday.
“This was a huge victory for our program,” Ripon coach Robert Mayfield said. “I’m so proud of the kids. This win puts us in a great position to compete for a league title, which Ripon High School hasn’t won outright since 1987.”
The Indians, now 3-0, still have to travel to Escalon on April 21.
Two third-set triumphs got them over the hump Friday. In the No. 2 boys doubles match, Federico Entrade and Fidel Perez squeaked one out 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 11-9 against Everado Peralta and Trenton Busch.
Ripon’s top girls duo of Shannon Wesley and Maddison Flanders came back to topple Escalon’s Mia Devecchio and Brooklyn Berry 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. The Indians won four out of the five doubles contests. Others contributing to the team score were No. 1 boys Isaiah Sanchez and Ian Flanders (7-5, 7-1) and No. 2 girls Emily O’Brien and Alli Hickman (6-1, 6-4).
Ripon’s Bryce Courtakis swept Ashton Redberg 6-3, 6-1 in a rematch of their TVL Singles Tournament final won by Courtakis a year ago. Nick Lengert dropped a close 4-6, 7-5, 4-10 decision to Marc Ney.
BASEBALL
Ripon Christian 10, Delhi 0
Billy Marr, Travis Zuidervaart and Danny Vander Molen combined for a six-inning no-hitter at Delhi as the Knights improved to 3-0 in the Southern League. Marr threw the first three innings and struck out eight. Vander Molen fanned five of the six batters he faced.
Offensively, Ripon Christian smacked 15 base hits. Freshman Willem Hoekstra legged out two triples, plated three runs and drove in three others. Vander Molen also had three RBIs to go with a couple doubles in his 2-for-4 effort. Connor McGovers hit 2 for 3 with three runs. Brandon Vrieling finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run.
SOFTBALL
Ripon 4, Riverbank 0
One run was all the support Ripon pitcher Danielle Sperry needed in her 13-strikeout, one-hit performance. The Indians (4-1 TVL, 8-2 overall) gave her three more for good measure in the top of the third inning.
Cara Brown and Darian VanDerMaaten both had two hits and an RBI triple.
To contact Jonamar Jacinto, email jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3538
