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Tennis boys battle their way to a 3-0 start
PW tennis
Oakdale’s Parker Whitemyer sends back the return in tennis action during a recent Valley Oak League contest. The tennis boys opened league play with a trio of wins. Jeff Kettering/The Leader

It was a busy week for the Oakdale High School boys tennis team. The Mustangs opened up their league season this past week and served up a trio of Valley Oak League victories. On March 19, Oakdale defeated East Union at home 9-0. March 20, they defeated Manteca 7-2 and the successful week concluded when they knocked off Central Catholic 7-2.

Last season East Union did not field a team and made their return to the court against Oakdale to start VOL play. The Mustangs cruised past them behind their starting six. Parker Whitemyer defeated Dom Ochoa 6-0, 6-0. Jaden Lebsack defeated Selvin Curan 6-0, 6-0. Dylan Krause defeated Christian Jose 6-1, 6-0. Niel Ongkingco blanked Carl Azecedo 6-0, 6-0. Jaxton Marler won 6-0, 6-0 over Mateo Gascon and Camden Knight also won 6-0, 6-0 over Ricardo Arreguin.

In doubles the team of Levi Hensley and Matt Yakligian defeated Anthony Gollihar and Andrew Delgado 6-3, 6-2. Austin Speiller and Tristan McCarthy’s set ended early due to an East Union injury. Christian Wright and Max Birchall won via forfeit.

Against the Buffaloes, Oakdale dropped two singles matches. Whitemyer lost to Chai Ma 0-6, 2-6. Krause was retired due to an illness. However, the rest of the team earned victories to help power the Mustangs over Manteca. Lebsack defeated Michael Osanna 6-1, 6-4. Ongkingco won 6-3, 6-4. Marler defeated Michael Levechenko 6-1, 6-4. Knight picked up a win over Kevin Navarro 6-0, 6-0. Hensley and Yakligian won 6-4, 6-2 over Landon Butler and Declan Edwards. Speiller and McCarthy won 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) over Harian Arriaga-Seulveda and Steven Sarmiento. Wright and Birchall won via forfeit.

“It was a great effort by these young men. Manteca is always tough, so we were pretty pumped with that outcome,” said Mustangs coach Grant Miller.

Oakdale wrapped up their week with a victory over the Raiders. Much like the Buffaloes contest, Oakdale dropped two singles matches. Whitmyer lost to Julian Marquez 4-6, 2-6. Lebsack fell to Michael Dunn 1-6, 3-6. Krause returned from his illness and battled to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Carlos York. Ongkingco won 6-1, 6-2 over Nicho Padilla. Marler won in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 over Kaleb Rothstein. Knight went 3-0 this week as he defeated Athen Franklin 6-0, 6-2.

“This week was pretty good for the team overall. My goal for this week was do my best and hopefully win 6-0, 6-0 and I did that,” said team captain Knight.

In doubles action, Hensley and Yakligian defeated Brady Anderson and Jax Terrero 6-2, 6-2. Speiller and McCarthy won 6-1, 6-2 over Ethan Guevara and Andreas Barajas.

Once again the team of Wright and Birchall won via forfeit.

This week Oakdale’s lone game was scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 when they hosted Sierra. They next take the court on Thursday, April 4 when they host Kimball.