Ceres High School's varsity boys tennis team finally beat Manteca for the first time in coach Brian de la Porte's four-year tenure.
Tied at 1-1, the Bulldogs swept the final three matches to secure a 4-1 victory over the previously-unbeaten Buffaloes on Tuesday, April 13 in Ceres.
Ceres High moved into a first-place tie with Manteca in the Valley Oak League standings (9-1).
"We took a big step to being co-champs," de la Porte said.
Luis Ochoa, Wilson Liang and Harman Bains, Ceres High's top three singles player, and the Bulldogs' No. 1 doubles tandem of Raul Massie and Gurman Bains helped put pressure on the Buffaloes by winning the opening sets of their respective matches.
"That was huge," de la Porte said.
Liang clinched the team victory.
Wilson outlasted Alex McAdams, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, in No. 2 singles play.
"I actually didn't know what the team scores were," he said. "I just knew I needed to get the win. We've never beaten them all three years I've played. It's a very good feeling. I don't know how to describe it. I'm just proud I fought for every point."
Harman Bains' 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win over Marc Leon in No. 3 singles play broke a 1-1 tie. He overcame a 6-5 deficit in the tiebreaker.
Bains has a career record of 1-5 against Leon.
"Last time I played him, he came to the net a lot," Harman said. "Today, I tried to keep the ball deep by the baseline. There was a lot of pressure. I tried taking deep breaths between points to keep the oxygen going."
Massie and Gurman Bains defeated Oral Nunis and Max Angelo in three sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, in No. 1 doubles play.
Ochoa defeated Alex Barragan 6-0, 6-1 in No. 1 singles play.
Ceres High has compiled a 1-7 record against Manteca since 2007. The Buffaloes placed first in the VOL in 2007 and 2008, edging out the runner-up Bulldogs.
"It's never easy against Manteca," said de la Porte, whose team lost 8.6-6.5 to the Buffaloes earlier this year. "They have the best coach in the VOL. He (Frank Fontana) has the best program. We have a lot of respect for them."
Coach de la Porte and his players dined at Round Table Pizza following the monumental victory.
"We're going to celebrate this tonight and get back to business tomorrow," Brian said.
Wolves edge Hawks
Central Valley High School put a scare into Sierra.
The winless Hawks fell 3-2 to the Timberwolves on Thursday in Manteca.
"We were competitive," Central Valley head coach Mike Rodriguez said. "It would have been nice to get the win."
The final outcome hinged on the No. 2 doubles result.
Javier Molina and Chan Chau lost 6-1, 7-5 to Sierra's Oliver Wood and Jared Parnham.
Will Berryhill, Central Valley's No. 3 singles player, and the Hawks' No. 1 doubles team of Gary Ney and Trinidad Sandoval collected wins against Sierra.
Berryhill defeated Adrian Prieto, 6-2, 6-2.
Ney and Sandoval defeated John Allen Hewitt and Greg Blockinger, 6-1, 6-1.
Tied at 1-1, the Bulldogs swept the final three matches to secure a 4-1 victory over the previously-unbeaten Buffaloes on Tuesday, April 13 in Ceres.
Ceres High moved into a first-place tie with Manteca in the Valley Oak League standings (9-1).
"We took a big step to being co-champs," de la Porte said.
Luis Ochoa, Wilson Liang and Harman Bains, Ceres High's top three singles player, and the Bulldogs' No. 1 doubles tandem of Raul Massie and Gurman Bains helped put pressure on the Buffaloes by winning the opening sets of their respective matches.
"That was huge," de la Porte said.
Liang clinched the team victory.
Wilson outlasted Alex McAdams, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, in No. 2 singles play.
"I actually didn't know what the team scores were," he said. "I just knew I needed to get the win. We've never beaten them all three years I've played. It's a very good feeling. I don't know how to describe it. I'm just proud I fought for every point."
Harman Bains' 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win over Marc Leon in No. 3 singles play broke a 1-1 tie. He overcame a 6-5 deficit in the tiebreaker.
Bains has a career record of 1-5 against Leon.
"Last time I played him, he came to the net a lot," Harman said. "Today, I tried to keep the ball deep by the baseline. There was a lot of pressure. I tried taking deep breaths between points to keep the oxygen going."
Massie and Gurman Bains defeated Oral Nunis and Max Angelo in three sets, 6-4, 5-7, 6-0, in No. 1 doubles play.
Ochoa defeated Alex Barragan 6-0, 6-1 in No. 1 singles play.
Ceres High has compiled a 1-7 record against Manteca since 2007. The Buffaloes placed first in the VOL in 2007 and 2008, edging out the runner-up Bulldogs.
"It's never easy against Manteca," said de la Porte, whose team lost 8.6-6.5 to the Buffaloes earlier this year. "They have the best coach in the VOL. He (Frank Fontana) has the best program. We have a lot of respect for them."
Coach de la Porte and his players dined at Round Table Pizza following the monumental victory.
"We're going to celebrate this tonight and get back to business tomorrow," Brian said.
Wolves edge Hawks
Central Valley High School put a scare into Sierra.
The winless Hawks fell 3-2 to the Timberwolves on Thursday in Manteca.
"We were competitive," Central Valley head coach Mike Rodriguez said. "It would have been nice to get the win."
The final outcome hinged on the No. 2 doubles result.
Javier Molina and Chan Chau lost 6-1, 7-5 to Sierra's Oliver Wood and Jared Parnham.
Will Berryhill, Central Valley's No. 3 singles player, and the Hawks' No. 1 doubles team of Gary Ney and Trinidad Sandoval collected wins against Sierra.
Berryhill defeated Adrian Prieto, 6-2, 6-2.
Ney and Sandoval defeated John Allen Hewitt and Greg Blockinger, 6-1, 6-1.
