Ceres High varsity boys tennis star Nolan McCaig brought home a second-place medal from the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-II Individual Tournament for the second year in a row.

"I'm very proud of myself," said McCaig, a sophomore. "But I feel a little disappointed. I came up short again. It just motivates me to do even better next season."

Nolan posted a 3-1 record at the section tournament.

McCaig lost 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to Inderkum's Hermont Legaspi in the finals.

"I was pretty confident going into the match," said McCaig, who earned the right to play for the championship after avenging a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 setback to Kimball's Garrett Chun with a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the semifinals. "I was focused. I knew it was going to be tough. He's a really good player. I could have done more at certain moments. I missed some shots in the tiebreaker."

"It was an awesome match," Ceres High head coach Bryan Harden added. "It could have gone either way."

McCaig compiled an impressive 35-2 overall record this year.

Nolan captured his second consecutive Western Athletic Conference singles title.

McCaig won all 16 of his WAC matches.

"It feels really good to represent the school," said Nolan, who was voted league MVP for the second year in a row. "There's a little pressure on me. I just have to push through it and give it my all, all the time."

Ceres High made program history and continued its tradition of excellence this season thanks in large part to McCaig's superb play on the courts.

The Bulldogs claimed their first-ever section title as a team with a thrilling 5-4 win over Manteca in the Division-III final.

The Bulldogs annexed their fourth consecutive WAC crown, extending their unbeaten streak in conference play to 42 matches.

The Bulldogs won all 27 of their matches.

"It feels great," McCaig said. "We ended the season on a high note. I'm so proud of my team. I'm going to remember everything. We accomplished a lot."

McCaig has quickly established himself as Ceres High's all-time greatest male tennis player.

Nolan's collected 65 wins and just three losses over the past two seasons.

He has a perfect 29-0 record in WAC play.

McCaig's won six of eight matches at the section's individual tournament.

Bulldog teammate Julio Ochoa captured three WAC crowns, including two singles and one doubles.

Julio's older brother Luis won a pair of league championships.

"It's exciting," said McCaig, who will look to add to his WAC-title total next season. "I'm just a sophomore. I have two years left. I can do even more. I need to work harder, practice more and push myself."

Parents Richard and Leticia introduced Nolan and his brothers to the sport of tennis at a young age.

"I don't think I'd be at this level without their support," he said. "It's made a big impact."