Boys’ tennis looks to rebuild after year off

After+a+shaky+start+against+Oakwood+in+the+first+home+match%2C+sophomore+Angelo+Rodriguez+bounced+back+to+win+2-1.+His+win+clinched+the+victory+for+the+team.

Karla

After a shaky start against Oakwood in the first home match, sophomore Angelo Rodriguez bounced back to win 2-1. His win clinched the victory for the team.

After not having a season last year, this season was left with a clean slate, giving the new players an opportunity to be the ‘first generation’ and create the legacy future players will follow. “This year was very exciting and brought lots of good memories that will forever be remembered,” Coach Issac Santa Cruz said.

Throughout the season all the players got the chance to grow as a player and learned the workings of the game. Everyone started off from ground zero and improved over the course of the season. 

The team went 4-8.  Most losses were because they were short by one individual game causing them to lose as a team but all games were very close, which gave the students much needed confidence. “We were able to beat Hollister and Oakwood, the number ones in the league, and I got to see what the team was really made out of,” Santa Cruz said.

The team got to experience the PCAL finals, with Santa Cruz took 7 players –  2 single players: Noah Arista and Kevin Garcia, 2 double teams: Samuel Gil and Alex Rodriquez, and Jeremiah Ruiz and Angelo Rodriquez, and a back-up: Gustavo Tapia. 

The team did very well and were able to move up three rounds to the semi-finals until they were beaten. Santa Cruz rewarded their efforts by taking them out to eat. “I was really proud of the huge improvements shown by the team, especially Samuel Gil and Angelo Rodriquez,” Santa Cruz said. “I think I improved overall, despite my leg injury and I would want to play next year as well, if my knee allows it,” Rodriquez said.

Overall, Santa Cruz loved the effort that was put into the PCAL finals and appreciated the boys for all of their hard work. But if he had to single out a player he believes worked extremely hard in this year’s season, he would choose senior Jeremiah Ruiz. “He showed a lot of growth this season and I even relied on him to close out our games to win,” Santa Cruz said. “I was able to improve due to lots of practice and actually watching some pros play as well such as Federer and Serena Williams,” Ruiz said.