Boys tennis is looking to end the season strong after an up-and-down season. Following the first head-to-head matchup against Dana Hills, the boys have had their share of good and bad moments throughout the rest of the campaign.
After beating the Dana Hills Dolphins the first time around, the Wolverines had to drive a very lengthy distance to play against the San Juan Hills Stallions. At the Stallions’ court, the Aliso boy’s tennis team wreaked havoc, winning comfortably by a score of fourteen to four. Both the singles as well as the doubles teams played extremely well.
Following the game, the boys were looking to be in comfortable condition to make it to CIF, and possibly win its first league title in seven years.
Two days later, the high-flying Wolverine team partook in defending home court against the San Clemente Tritons. Aliso failed in accomplishing this task, narrowly tasting defeat, losing ten to eight. Aliso still played great that day, it was a matter of certain individual performances that cost the Wolverines the loss against the Tritons.
A frustrated Wolverine team looked forward to avenging themselves the following week, with them playing against a well-rounded Tesoro squad.
Aliso took home yet another loss and fell back to two and two in league play.
Surely the Wolverines would be able to get back a game against their most recent win in the Dana Hills Dolphins, right?
Unfortunately, that was not the case as the Wolverines fell short once again, with the Dolphins being determined to defend home-court advantage, which the Wolverines fell once again to lose for the third time in a row, this time eight to ten.
With the Wolverines league record hovering at two and three, they went from a highly probable chance to make it to CIF to very little, with the upper half of the standing most likely qualifying.
There were only three games left in the season, and the Wolverines needed to make up for lost ground to keep their postseason chances alive.
Luckily they were matched up again with the easiest team in the league, San Juan Hills.
At home court, they were once again motivated enough to pull out a massive win, with a score of twelve to six, taking them out of a long three-match drought.
However, as the season winded down, they still had the two hardest opponents left to play, with very little chance of beating either of the two. The Wolverines lost to San Clemente five to thirteen, as well as their last game of the season against Tesoro at home, seven to eleven.
Aaron Tran (11) looks back at some of the better memories throughout the season. “Sometimes we play games like king of the court or team singles together if there are not enough courts open, and occasionally coach Jeff wants us to play doubles sets against each other.”
The end-of-season banquet will be held on May 20, 2024.
Ray Hariharan (11) spoke to the Growling Wolverine regarding the Seniors, “I am definitely going to miss the seniors this year. They were all very special and will definitely miss them going into next season.”
