After routing Fowler 8-1 on May 13, the boys’ tennis team advanced to play Immanuel in the Valley Championship. However, on May 15 Immanuel shut out the Eagles, 9-0, ending the boy’s season with a second place finish in the Sierra Division.

Eric Witters, ’04, was the only player to take a set, winning the first set of his match against Immanuel, 7-5. Witters later lost the match in a tiebreaker in the third set but felt that it was an excellent learning experience.

“My match at Immanuel was very close,” Witters said. “I felt I played well but the result was not what I wanted. Our team will be strong next year and I think we can definitely give Immanuel a better match.”

In the West Sierra League tournament on May 3, Michael Van Beek, ’03, Witters and Collin Tally, ’04, captured all three singles medals, with Van Beek winning the gold medal.

“Personally I had a great season,” Van Beek said. ” I was number one and I got the number 1 singles seed for the West Sierra League tournament. Our team achieved more than I expected and the season was awesome and rewarding.”

While the season is over, many of the boys will take tennis lessons over the summer to help them improve their skills. Witters and Talley take lessons with Don Grensted, the tennis coach for Buchanan High.

“I take lessons over the summer so I can improve my tennis skills,” Tally said. “Lessons greatly help me in both exhibition and regular season. Without practice you cannot improve. Just because the season is over does not mean I stop practicing.”