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Top-seeded Sierra shuts out Beyer, Manteca out in Division III
Beyer-Sierra boys tennis
Sierra’s David Martin keeps his eyes on the ball while smacking it with a forehand in the No. 3 singles match against Beyer. - photo by Wayne Thallander

 Sierra’s boys tennis team is entering uncharted waters after grabbing a piece of its first Valley Oak League championship.

Beyer-Sierra boys tennis
Oliver Naven of Sierra hits the forehand return in No. 5 singles action.
No one on the top-seeded team in Division IV appeared nervous Wednesday when the Timberwolves started the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs with a 9-0 thumping of No. 8 Beyer. They are now won more win away from reaching a Section final for the first time.

“It’s exciting,” David Martin said, “but I haven’t really done this before.”

The lone senior on Sierra’s starting 12 held on to sweep Steven Ibanez 6-2, 6-4 in the No. 3 singles match.

“I was a bit rusty, because I was out the past five days for a school trip,” Martin said. “I was a little tired, too. I think I did pretty well, but my serves were really off.”

There were wayward returns on every court because of the wind.

Hasnain Ali was both hurt and helped by the gusts during his three-set tussle with Mason Juergenson at No. 4 singles. Ali came back to win, 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.

“For the first set, (the wind) completely threw me off on my serves and my forehands,” Ali said. “After I adapted, I was able to come back. Usually, when I lose the first set, I also lose the second.”

No. 1 Brady Alves took care of Matthew Davis 6-1, 6-2, and No. 2 Ashton Hillard downed Chase Monjure, 6-1, 6-3. No. 5 Oliver Naven cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Alwin Binny. Santiago Franco dispatched Max Peneda, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 6 singles.

The doubles matches ended quickly.

Sierra’s top tandem of Sid Gopendran and Sparsh Beedi blanked Jesse Phillips and Ayden Brambila, 6-0, 6-0. Ryan Alves and Harshith Kumar pasted Raidon Marin and Harman Kahlon, 6-0, 6-1. Beyer forfeited the third doubles match.

Sierra will host No. 4 Pioneer or No. 5 Antelope in the semifinals Monday at home.


DIVISION III

West Park 5, Manteca 4

The Buffaloes (7-6), seeded sixth, had players tending to another extracurricular activity, leaving them shorthanded in Roseville. They were ultimately done in by a default at No. 3 doubles.

Manteca had chances to overcome this but lost three three-set matches.

Yok Chai Ma did his part from the No. 1 spot, waxing Christopher Chang, 6-0, 6-0. No. 2 Michael Osanna vanquished Louie Gavin, 6-2, 6-1. No. 4 Vince Almeida outlasted Kabir Bajwa, 6-3, 7-5.

Landon Butler and Declan Edward won at No. 2 doubles, 6-1, 6-2.

No. 3 Ivan Barajas (1-6, 6-3, 3-6), No. 5 Michael Levchenko (6-3, 3-6, 1-6) and No. 1 doubles Kevin Navarro and Steven Sarmiento (7-5, 4-6, 3-6) dropped the third-set heartbreakers.

West Park next faces No. 2 Oakdale or No. 7 Vanden.