From a spate of devastating injuries to start the season to a
wave of stunning success at season
’s end, the Live Oak High boys tennis team had quite a ride this
season.
From a spate of devastating injuries to start the season to a wave of stunning success at season’s end, the Live Oak High boys tennis team had quite a ride this season.
On Friday, the Acorns’ roller-coaster season came to an end in the Tri-County Athletic League boys tennis championships at Gilroy High.
After advancing all six of its players to the semifinal round, a stunning achievement that bathed the Mustang court in yellow and green during Friday’s play, Live Oak saw all six bow out. But it was anything but a disappointing end to an up-and-down campaign.
“You can’t beat that,” Live Oak coach Ignacio Herrera said of his team playing en masse in Friday’s semis, pointing out that none of the other league coaches could remember another team accomplishing the feat. “Everyone was in awe that we (all) made it. They really, really played good.”
In Friday’s singles semifinals, Live Oak’s No. 1, senior Chris Laskodi, fell to Salinas’ Bryan Pybas, one of the top-ranked high school players in the state, 6-1, 6-1.
Pybas ended up winning the TCAL singles championship and finished undefeated in league play.
And, Acorn junior Nick Matsumoto bowed to Palma’s John Campbell 6-0, 7-5 in semifinal singles action.
In doubles, Live Oak’s team of senior Robbie Ferrando and freshman Eric Matsumoto lost to Palma’s Mark Grosnick and Matt Scholink 6-3, 6-3.
And, the Acorn team of senior Ryan Alexander and junior Erick Macias were dismissed by Salinas’ Shawn Hemmer and Phil Mohl 6-1, 6-0.
Live Oak finished third overall in the TCAL championships team competition.
None of the Live Oak players earned the right to advance to the Central Coast Section finals.
Only the singles and doubles winner, and the winning team advance to CCS.
It was a relatively quiet end to a see-saw season.
Herrera said he was anticipating a strong season from Live Oak after seeing the roster of talent the Acorn team boasted at the beginning of the year.
But injuries to key players such as Nick Matsumoto and Bill Watson, and losing macias for several matches due to ineligibility, hindered the squad in the season’s early going.
“On the first day of the season, I thought we would have a good shot at the team title,” Herrera said. “Then people started getting injured and it all went downhill after that.”
Once the team got its full roster back, though, Live Oak made steady improvement.
Live Oak compiled a 9-6 overall TCAL dual meet record and finished third in league behind Palma and Salinas going into last week’s TCAL champion-ships.
The Acorns will lose top seniors Laskodi, Ferrando and Alexander, along with Tim Bouchet, who played No. 4 singles for much of the season, and Kayvon Kheymendouz, who played doubles.
But Live Oak will return both Matsumoto brothers — Nick will be a senior and Eric a sophomore, Macias and Jacob Haim.
