Ceres High varsity girls tennis star Marifer Ochoa faced a familiar opponent in the finals of the Western Athletic Conference Singles Championships.
Marifer failed to defend her title on Thursday, Oct. 27 at Pacheco High School, losing 6-2, 6-3 to Los Banos junior Alexis Barcellos.
Ochoa, a sophomore, edged Barcellos 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) for the WAC crown last year.
Alexis improved her head-to-head record against Marifer to 3-3. Barcellos and Ochoa were regular season co-MVPs the past two seasons.
"Marifer was really nervous," Bulldogs head coach Bryan Harden said. "I don't know why. She's played in bigger matches. She just didn't play her best tennis. You have days like that. I feel really bad for her."
Ochoa fell behind 3-0 in the first set and never recovered.
"I give Alexis all the credit in the world," Harden said. "She's just so mentally tough. That's what I love about her."
Alexis ended Ceres High's singles dominance. The Bulldogs won league titles from 2007-10, including three in a row by McKenzy Harden (class of 2010)
Ochoa posted a 14-2 record in WAC play in 2011. She beat Pacheco's Jocelyn Reyes (6-0, 6-0), Central Catholic's Emma Withrow (6-3, 6-1) and Los Banos' Christina Soares (6-3, 6-2) at the league tournament.
Marifer qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Individual Singles Tournament for the second straight year.
Ceres High sophomore Kaylee Donovan compiled a 1-1 record at the WAC tournament.
She beat Central Valley's Crystal Guzman 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.
Barcellos ended Donovan's season with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the quarterfinals.
"Kaylee played awesome," Harden said. "She had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The pressure was on Alexis."
Central Valley's Elizabeth Mejia lost 6-1, 6-2 to Withrow in the opening round.
Doubles results
Central Valley's Deja Jackson and Ali Martinez won one of their two matches at the WAC Doubles Championships on Oct. 27 in Los Banos.
Jackson and Martinez bested Patterson's Kendel Norfleet and Kelby Norfleet 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 in the first round. They lost 6-1, 6-1 to Los Banos' Christina Soares and Nicole Marchese in the quarterfinals. Soares and Marchese placed first.
"They had a pretty tough draw," Hawks head coach Mike Rodriguez said.
Guzman and Mejia lost 6-1, 6-3 to Los Banos' Tiffany Liu and Taylor Mendez.
Donovan and Christin Ornells posted a 1-1 record. They lost 6-4, 6-2 to Los Banos' Jacquelin Arretche and Monique Arretche in the quarterfinals.
Kaylee and Christin beat Pacheco's Kristen Palmer and Janet Gonzalez 6-4, 6-0 in the opening round.
Kimmy Ochoa and Lizzy Magana lost 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 to Patterson's Nsimba Mahunga and Nzuzi Mahunga.
"I expected them to do a little better," Harden said while assessing the performance of his doubles teams.
Marifer failed to defend her title on Thursday, Oct. 27 at Pacheco High School, losing 6-2, 6-3 to Los Banos junior Alexis Barcellos.
Ochoa, a sophomore, edged Barcellos 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) for the WAC crown last year.
Alexis improved her head-to-head record against Marifer to 3-3. Barcellos and Ochoa were regular season co-MVPs the past two seasons.
"Marifer was really nervous," Bulldogs head coach Bryan Harden said. "I don't know why. She's played in bigger matches. She just didn't play her best tennis. You have days like that. I feel really bad for her."
Ochoa fell behind 3-0 in the first set and never recovered.
"I give Alexis all the credit in the world," Harden said. "She's just so mentally tough. That's what I love about her."
Alexis ended Ceres High's singles dominance. The Bulldogs won league titles from 2007-10, including three in a row by McKenzy Harden (class of 2010)
Ochoa posted a 14-2 record in WAC play in 2011. She beat Pacheco's Jocelyn Reyes (6-0, 6-0), Central Catholic's Emma Withrow (6-3, 6-1) and Los Banos' Christina Soares (6-3, 6-2) at the league tournament.
Marifer qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Individual Singles Tournament for the second straight year.
Ceres High sophomore Kaylee Donovan compiled a 1-1 record at the WAC tournament.
She beat Central Valley's Crystal Guzman 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.
Barcellos ended Donovan's season with a 6-3, 6-3 victory in the quarterfinals.
"Kaylee played awesome," Harden said. "She had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The pressure was on Alexis."
Central Valley's Elizabeth Mejia lost 6-1, 6-2 to Withrow in the opening round.
Doubles results
Central Valley's Deja Jackson and Ali Martinez won one of their two matches at the WAC Doubles Championships on Oct. 27 in Los Banos.
Jackson and Martinez bested Patterson's Kendel Norfleet and Kelby Norfleet 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 in the first round. They lost 6-1, 6-1 to Los Banos' Christina Soares and Nicole Marchese in the quarterfinals. Soares and Marchese placed first.
"They had a pretty tough draw," Hawks head coach Mike Rodriguez said.
Guzman and Mejia lost 6-1, 6-3 to Los Banos' Tiffany Liu and Taylor Mendez.
Donovan and Christin Ornells posted a 1-1 record. They lost 6-4, 6-2 to Los Banos' Jacquelin Arretche and Monique Arretche in the quarterfinals.
Kaylee and Christin beat Pacheco's Kristen Palmer and Janet Gonzalez 6-4, 6-0 in the opening round.
Kimmy Ochoa and Lizzy Magana lost 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 to Patterson's Nsimba Mahunga and Nzuzi Mahunga.
"I expected them to do a little better," Harden said while assessing the performance of his doubles teams.
