Live Oak moved to 5-3 in league play Monday with a win over
Mount Pleasant
MORGAN HILL — The Live Oak tennis team is out of the running for the West Valley Division crown, but is just warming up for the league’s Singles/Doubles Tournament, which starts Thursday.
Jimmy Shedden and Dylan Johnson upped their undefeated marks in division play Monday, as the Acorns collected a 4-3 victory over Mount Pleasant at Live Oak High School.
Shedden, who is set to enter the West Valley Singles Tournament as the No. 1 seed, overpowered the Cardinals’ Chris Le, 6-2, 6-2, using the Acorns’ patented mix of strokes, strategy and strength.
“I’m optimistic he will take the West Valley Division singles title and head into (CIF-Central Coast Section) Tournament play as a major factor in the draw,” Live Oak coach Brad Leach said in a statement.
Johnson, the Acorns’ only undefeated player in preseason and nonleague matches, cruised past Damian Sanders in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.
“This kid is just a machine out there, just moving his opponents corner to corner, patiently waiting to make his move to finish off the point in style,” Leach said of Johnson. “This kid is crafty.”
Ryan Campbell of Live Oak (5-3 league) won the No. 2 singles match 6-3, 6-1. Johnson’s twin brother, Derek, fell 4-6, 0-6 to Mount Pleasant’s Nathaniel Gruspe.
The Johnsons will team up as Live Oak’s No. 1 doubles pair for the West Valley Tournament.
The Acorns defaulted a doubles match Monday, but Gabriel Fluckiger stepped up with Sean Sullivan to beat the Cardinals’ top pair 6-4, 6-1. Fluckiger filled in for Shane Herber, who was unavailable.
“Gabriel Fluckiger has been playing very aggressive tennis at the net lately,” Leach said. “I thought he was ready to substitute into the No. 1 doubles slot and he did not disappoint. He and Sullivan actually made a good team.”
Live Oak had to work with a jumbled doubles ladder again Thursday at Gunderson, but had little trouble in winning 5-2.
The Grizzlies reaped a forfeited doubles match — Herber was unavailable again — and won a three-set marathon against Fluckiger and Spencer McClellan in the No. 2 pairs match, 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-7(5).
The Acorns took the rest.
Live Oak swept the singles matches, and freshmen Brendan Haughey and Q. Farooqui won the No. 3 doubles bout 7-5, 7-5.
“This duo has come a long way,” Leach said. “These two freshmen have a lot of potential.”
Shedden downed Daniel Condon 6-0, 6-1, Campbell and Dylan Johnson beat Brian Ho and Eric Ortega in straight sets, respectively, and Derek Johnson defeated Eun Song 6-3, 6-1.
The third-place Acorns today play undefeated Andrew Hill (8-0) on the road.
