The rebuilding process begins for East Union’s boys tennis team.
The defending Valley Oak League champion took a 9-0 loss to the chin in Tuesday’s conference opener, succumbing to visiting Sonora’s more experienced squad.
“Sonora is a very competitive, athletic tennis team,” East Union coach Ron Bylow said. “Despite the loss, I am very proud of how hard our guys played.”
Arturo Leon is the Lancers’ only returning starter. Converting from doubles, the No. 4 singles player fell 5-7, 2-6 to Austin Poe in one of the more competitive matches of the contest.
Also swept in singles action were Mitchell Liwanag, Jean-Francois Moortgat, Tyler Bertao, Raymund Martinez and Chris Marlow.
Overall, East Union didn’t claim a single set.
The doubles pairs were Pedro Garcia and Augi Mendoza at No. 1, Josh Kolkmann and Chris Herrera at No. 2 and Kevin Flores and Jose Fausto at No. 3.
East Union looks to bounce back at Weston Ranch on Thursday.
Manteca 9, Oakdale 0
The visiting Buffaloes (1-0, 3-4 overall) were able to take four three-set matches to assure themselves of the sweep.
The closest match came at No. 1 doubles, with Manteca’s Alex Vasquez and Thomas Reza edging Sergio Gutierrez and Miguel Barajas 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6). The Buffalo tandem was down 4-6 in the deciding tiebreaker before running the table.
Sam Dhaliwal and Puneed Sandhu came from behind to claim the No. 2 doubles match, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. Izham Reger and Angel Tejada swept in the No. 3 contest, 6-2, 6-3.
Notching two-set victories in singles play were No. 1 Oral Nunis (6-1, 7-5), freshman No. 2 Mike Lopez (6-2, 6-1), freshman No. 4 Yok Jing Ma (6-1, 6-0) and No. 5 Chris Kloska (6-2, 6-2).
In the matchup of No. 3s, Jacob Webb dropped the opening set 6-7 (2-7) before coming back to take the next two, 6-4, 6-2. Jorge Sierra also climbed out of an early hole at No. 6 singles, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Weston Ranch 8, Lathrop 1
At Weston Ranch, Ivan Alegado accounted for Lathrop’s lone point after topping Carl Legaspi 6-4, 6-2 in the clash of No. 1 singles players.
It was all Cougars the rest of the way.
Scoring 6-0, 6-0 wins were No. 2 Sukham Singh, No. 3 Kevin Yamayoshi, No. 6 Raymond Lagoc, No. 2 doubles Ion Obiso/Tejpaul Bainiwal and No. 3 doubles Ajay Bainiwal/Mark Legaspi.
Serbinder Singh won the No. 4 singles match 6-0, 6-2, while No. 5 Adrian Andrade prevailed, 6-1, 6-2. Weston Ranch’s top doubles team of Chai Saepharn and Arjun Singh triumphed, 6-3, 6-1.
Kimball 8, Sierra 1
In Tracy, Forrest Tolman was the lone victor for Sierra, as he defeated Kimball’s Kevin Sung 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 singles.
