By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Bhatti advances to finals
Bandna Bhatti
Central Valley senior Bandna Bhatti won two of three matches en route to a second-place finish at the WAC South Singles Tournament. - photo by Dale Butler

Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s girls tennis programs had a combined five players compete at the Western Athletic Conference South Division Singles Tournament last week in Modesto.

Central Valley senior Bandna Bhatti compiled a 2-1 record on her way to a runner-up finish on Wednesday at Johansen High School.

“She’s the third player from Central Valley to get to the finals,” Hawks’ head coach Mike Rodriguez said. “It doesn’t happen too often. You have to be a special player.”

Second-seeded Bhatti lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to top-seeded Kierstyn Cotta of Los Banos in the finals.

Cotta beat Bhatti three times this season.

“It still hasn’t set in that will be the last high-school match I play,” Bhatti said. “I don’t have any regrets. I gave it my all. A lot of the points were competitive. A lot of the times we’d go to deuce.”

Bhatti defeated Kloe Cotta 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals and Johansen’s McKenna Taylor 6-0, 6-2 in the second round.

Seniors Virginia Moore and Sabina Dhillon also represented the Hawks at the conference tournament.

Moore posted a 2-1 record.

She almost upset Kierstyn Cotta in the semifinals.

Moore suffered a heartbreaking 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2) loss.

Cotta erased a 5-2 deficit during the decisive set.

“I’m happy I was able to make it that far,” Moore said. “I wasn’t seeded. I had multiple chances to win. I got in my own head and let my emotions get to me.”

Added Rodriguez: “Virginia put herself in a really good position to win. The other girl just made more plays.”

Moore bested Pacheco’s Jacqueline Vega Gomez 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

She defeated Johansen’s Kirsteen Cabral 6-0, 6-1 in the opening round.

Dhillon won one of her two matches.

She defeated Ceres High senior Mahnoor Kahloon 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.

Dhillon lost 6-2, 6-0 to Kierstyn Cotta in the second round.

Ceres High senior Jasmine Bahia compiled a 1-1 record. She topped Pacheco’s Aaliyah Lucas in three sets in the first round. She lost to Los Banos’ Kloe Cotta in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

Jasmine Bahia
Ceres High senior Jasmine Bahia advanced to the quarterfinals of the Western Athletic Conference South Girls Tennis Singles Tournament. - photo by DALE BUTLER/Ceres Courier