In a matchup that saw both grit and heartbreak, the Bonney Lake Panthers boys tennis team came up just short against the Emerald Ridge Jaguars, losing 2-3 in a tense league contest. The Panthers were hoping to build on the momentum from a promising, rain-shortened match against White River the day before, but couldn’t close the deal this time, falling to 0-2 in league play. Meanwhile, the Jaguars remain undefeated in the league, improving to 2-0.
Senior Gavin Orozco, Bonney Lake’s #1 singles player, has been the heartbeat of this team, and he didn't disappoint. His commanding performance against Aiden Bailey of Emerald Ridge was yet another showcase of why he’s still undefeated on the season. Orozco breezed through the match, beating Bailey 6-0, 6-1, improving to 4-0 and giving Bonney Lake an early lead.
At #2 singles, Bonney Lake’s Evan Lane fought valiantly against Colton Anderson in a match that was far closer than the scoreline suggests. Lane’s ability to extend rallies and force Anderson into uncomfortable positions kept the Panthers in the hunt, but Anderson’s consistency ultimately proved too much. Lane fell in straight sets, 3-6, 4-6, despite a valiant effort.
The Jaguars’ seasoned #1 doubles team of Garrett Crow and Dawson Hornak were a step ahead of Bonney Lake’s Thomas Howard and Jarrett Sroka from the first serve. Howard and Sroka couldn’t find a rhythm against the veteran pairing, and despite trying different strategies, the Panthers were outmatched, losing 1-6, 2-6.
The match of the day came at #2 doubles, where Bonney Lake’s duo of Jeremiah Mam and Cameron Munsch put on a thrilling show against James Steeholm and Aiden Hur. After taking the first set 6-4, Mam and Munsch found themselves in a second-set dogfight that led to a dramatic tiebreak. The Panthers were down in the breaker but fought back, tying the score at 6-6 and eventually pulling out an 11-9 victory to take the match, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9). The win gave Bonney Lake a much-needed second point, keeping their hopes alive in the overall contest.
At #3 doubles, Adam Quinto and Holden Mann nearly delivered a comeback victory of their own against Tim Lim and Kyle Wesenberg. After dropping the first set 1-6, they flipped the script with an impressive 6-1 win in the second set. However, the third set saw the momentum swing back to Emerald Ridge, and the Jaguars prevailed 6-3 to seal the match for their team.
With the 2-3 loss, the Panthers remain winless in league play, but they have another opportunity to turn things around in a non-league match against Stadium High School in Tacoma next week. It’s a familiar opponent, as Bonney Lake and Stadium shared the same league last year.
The Panthers travel to Stadium on Monday, September 16th, with the match set to start at 3:30 PM.
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