The tennis season is over for Oakdale High racketeers, but Mustang competitors left the court with a little piece of Valley Oak League dignity on April 24 and 26 during singles and doubles championship league tournaments.

Paul Perrone won his way to a fourth place finish among the league’s top singles players, later joining Jared Firstbrook for a fourth place finish in the doubles tourney.

The placements were good enough for both to cap off the season with first team All Valley Oak League honors from the conference.

“They did great,” Oakdale coach Grant Miller said. “Jared really turned it on at the end of the year and Paul played tough varsity matches for three years for us and will really be missed.”

Perrone bested Joel Boling of Sierra 8-1 in the opening round of the tournament’s first flight. He reached the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-3 dismantling of Weston Ranch standout Carl Legaspi, but was upended by No. 1 seed Mike Lopes of Manteca in a tight 6-3, 6-4 semifinal. Jared Firstbrook was 1-1 in the same first flight bracket. He beat Jean Moortagat of East Union 8-3 but was ultimately dispatched 6-1, 6-2 by No. 3 seed and ultimate finalist Oral Nunis of Manteca. Nunis upset No. 2 seed Forrest Tolman of Sierra to reach the finals. Tolman ultimately bested Perrone to finish third while Perrone settled for fourth.
Chandler Johnson and Austin Clayton also won first round matches in the second flight of tournament singles matches.

Johnson beat Lathrop’s Justin Dowe 8-4 while Clayton upended Lathrop’s John Paul in a thrilling 9-8 (9-7) tiebreaker.

“They were really hoping to make the section tournament (top-two from league), but it didn’t happen,” Miller said. “With the rain and injuries we faced it was a tough year, but we have a lot of good young guys coming back.”