In a matchup that came down to the wire, the Bonney Lake Panthers boys tennis team hosted the South Kitsap Wolves in a pivotal league match. Both teams entered the contest riding the wave of recent victories—Bonney Lake fresh off a commanding win over Spanaway Lake, while South Kitsap had just edged out Rogers. With momentum hanging in the balance, the question loomed: who would carry it forward?
Spoiler alert—the Panthers strung together back-to-back wins. But their path to victory was anything but easy.
Already in a tough spot with co-captain Jeremiah Mam sidelined due to injury, the Panthers were dealt another blow with varsity senior Jarrett Sroka out sick. Scrambling to fill the void, they promoted Kade Comstock from JV to step in as the #2 singles player. The reshuffled lineup faced an immediate challenge against a strong Wolves squad, but Bonney Lake was determined to show resilience.
First off the court was the Panthers’ #3 doubles duo, Holden Mann and Jacob Acosta. Fresh off a win in their previous match, the pair displayed impressive chemistry against South Kitsap's Jeremy Heberlein and Gavin Boscher. Acosta, in only his second varsity appearance, continued to look like a valuable asset for Bonney Lake, as they sealed a 6-4, 6-2 win. The Panthers were off to a good start.
But not all matches went in Bonney Lake's favor. In the #2 singles slot, Comstock, who had been thrust into a higher level of competition, couldn’t match the relentless pace of South Kitsap’s Tanner Rockafield. Rockafield dominated from start to finish, cruising to a 6-0, 6-0 win and evening the overall match score at 1-1.
The Panthers needed a response, and their #1 singles player, Gavin Orozco, delivered. Coming into the match undefeated on the year, Orozco, still under the weather, dug deep to preserve his perfect record. He faced off against Teo Aguilo, and despite feeling less than 100%, Orozco handled business, securing a 6-2, 6-4 win. He improved to 7-0 on the season.
However, the #2 doubles match would be a battle. Bonney Lake’s Adam Quinto and Evan Lane went head-to-head with Alex Valentine and Bryce Barnett, exchanging blows in a rollercoaster three-set thriller. The Wolves took the first set 7-5, but the Panthers clawed their way back, winning the second set in a tense tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-3). With momentum swinging like a pendulum, South Kitsap regained control in the third set, taking it 6-2 and leveling the overall match score at 2-2.
It all came down to the #1 doubles match—Thomas Howard and Cameron Munsch of Bonney Lake versus Finnian Byrne and Karter Warner of South Kitsap. With the match—and the day—on the line, both teams left everything on the court. South Kitsap took the first set 7-5, but Howard and Munsch, refusing to go quietly, roared back. They won the second set 6-3, and by the third set, they were firing on all cylinders, storming to a decisive 6-0 victory to clinch the match for Bonney Lake.
Final score: Panthers 3, Wolves 2.
Next up for Bonney Lake is another league matchup, this time on the road at Curtis High School, where they’ll face the undefeated Curtis Vikings. After pulling out two tight wins in a row, the Panthers will look to keep their momentum rolling.
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