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CV girls face rebuilding year on hard courts
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Senior Claudia Martinez will fill the top singles spot in Central Vallleys starting lineup. She won all 11 of her matches at No. 6 singles last season. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Central Valley High School's varsity girls tennis program will face a rebuilding year in 2016.

The Hawks lost nine of 12 starters to graduation.

"Record wise, I'm not really sure what to expect," head coach Mike Rodriguez said. "I expect most teams to be more experienced than our team but one thing you can get away with in girls tennis is if you have athletes you can compete pretty well with any of the teams. I would say that a realistic goal for a team full of majority first-year players would be .500."

Central Valley's top returnees are Claudia Martinez (Sr.), Lupe Becerra (So.), Trinity Avila (Jr.) and Adriana Escobedo (Jr.).

Martinez compiled a perfect 11-0 record while starring at No. 6 singles her junior year.

Claudia was selected to the Western Athletic Conference Second Team.

Becerra, Avila and Escobedo were doubles players last season.

"We only have one returning singles player (Martinez)," Rodriguez said. "Claudia and Lupe will most likely play No. 1 and 2 singles. Trinity could see time at No. 3 or 4 singles. And Adriana could see some time somewhere in the singles lineup and possibly some doubles."
Key newcomers include Mixtly Vega (So.), Sue Dhillon (So.), Abigail Martinez (So.), Jocelyn Rodriguez (So.), Daniela Yepez (So.), Yesenia Bernal-Lareos (Sr.), Nayeli Castellanos (Jr.) and Gianna Arce (Fr.).

Avila, Vega, Martinez, Bernal-Lareos and Jocelyn Rodriguez suited up for Central Valley's Western Athletic Conference champion girls soccer team this past spring. The Hawks also qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

"This team is extremely athletic with many of the girls having a background in soccer and a couple in basketball," coach Rodriguez said.

Central Valley reached new heights under Rodriguez's guidance the past two seasons.

The Hawks made history by securing their first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth in 2014.

Central Valley returned to the postseason last fall. The Hawks (10-2) also placed second in the WAC standings behind Los Banos (12-0) for the second year in a row.

Central Valley has won 20 of its last 24 conference matches. "There will be a lot of learning going on in the first half of the season," Mike Rodriguez said. "I expect a lot of the girls to be out of position on the court at times, but will look for them to have a successful second half of the season."