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CV has new-look lineup
Jesus Hernandez and Enrique Lepe
Jesus Hernandez and Enrique Lepe will both fill key roles on Central Valley’s boys tennis team this season.

The Central Valley High School boys tennis team’s roster looks drastically different from a season ago.

The Hawks lost nine players to graduation, including starters Ruben Hernandez, Omar Lepe, Lourdvic Polanes, Willy Souksavath, Aiden Sinlapaxay, Joaquin Pulido, Jose Alvarez, Braulio Arellano and Melvin Morales.

Central Valley also has a new head coach in Alexis Villa, who replaced longtime leader Mike Rodriguez. Villa and eighth-year assistant coach Nimrat Chahal both played tennis for Rodriguez.

“He (Rodriguez) was our coach,” Chahal said. “Now, we’re taking over for him. Rod did a lot for the program. He was able to fundraise and get so much equipment for us. We’ve made the playoffs three times. Two of those years, me and Alexis were playing.”

Chahal and Villa embrace the challenge of rebuilding the boys tennis program at their alma mater. Chahal and Villa both graduated from Central Valley in 2015.

“This year is completely different,” Chahal said. “It will be a challenge with so many new kids. We’re teaching them from ground zero, from terminology, rules, warmups and how to play.”

The Hawks return just four players from last year’s team, including Enrique Lepe (Sr.), Jesus Hernandez (Sr.), Dylan Chauhan (Jr.) and Kai Sivongxay (So.)

Lepe, Hernandez, Sivongxay and Chauhan will fill the No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 singles spots, respectively, in Central Valley’s lineup.

The Hawks have 13 newcomers: Karen Athwal (Sr.), Juan Casares (Sr.), Nicolas Gil (Sr.), Jonathan Macias (Sr.), Sumeet Bhinder (Jr.), Uriel Mendoza (Jr.), Leonardo Monroy (Jr.), Jose Avila Aguilar (So.), Israel Guajardo (Fr.), Avori Ortega (Fr.), Bryan Rodriguez (Fr.), Silas Rodriguez (Fr.) and Jaylan Tagadaya (Fr.).

Macias and Guajardo will log playing time at No. 5 and 6 singles, respectively.

Gil and Bryan Rodriguez make up Central Valley’s No. 1 doubles team.

Tagadaya and Silas Rodriguez will contribute at No. 2 doubles.

Mendoza and Monroy will team up at No. 3 doubles.

“We have a solid group of freshmen,” Chahal said. “Four of them will consistently play.”

Central Valley will face Patterson, Merced, Golden Valley, El Capitan, Buhach Colony and Atwater during the Central California Conference season.

The Hawks won eight of 12 matches while finishing in third place in the CCC standings last spring.

Central Valley returned to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs following a six-year absence.

The Hawks qualified for the postseason three times during Rodriguez’s coaching tenure.

“This year is not about wins and losses,” Chahal said. “It’s about seeing if we can be competitive. As the season goes on, the guys will improve. I can see us going to playoffs when the freshmen are juniors or seniors. They’re only going to get better the more they play.” 

Ceres High will not field a boys tennis team this year due to a lack of interest.