Live Oak senior captures West Valley Division singles
championships
SAN JOSE — Live Oak’s Jimmy Shedden captured the West Valley Division singles championship Friday, beating Willow Glen’s Brandon Snodgrass 6-3, 6-1 in the final match of the division tournament at Mount Pleasant High School.
Shedden, who entered as the top seed following a near-perfect run through league play, also clinched a berth in the CIF-Central Coast Section Singles Tournament, which begins May 26.
The senior also defeated Chris Ortiz of Andrew Hill in the semifinals Friday, 6-1, 6-3.
“Jimmy came out focused and ready,” Live Oak coach Brad Leach said in a statement. “It was obvious Shedden was ready for the challenge.”
Leach and Shedden were prepared for Snodgrass, who defeated Live Oak’s Ryan Campbell in a three-set quarterfinal match.
“We made a couple of tactical adjustments the night before and they paid off big,” Leach added. “This was an exciting moment for (Shedden) and for Live Oak High School tennis.”
Also for the Acorns, sophomores Derek and Dylan Johnson placed third in the West Valley Division Doubles Tournament. They beat Del Mar’s Bo McDowell and Sean Stone 6-1, 6-4 in the consolation finals after flirting with upset against reigning champions Phil Unger and Blake Morrow of Willow Glen. The Johnson brothers fell 6-3, 3-6, 3-6.
“This was a victory in my mind,” Leach said. “Any time two sophomores can inflict this much damage on a senior team, it’s a win.”
