Like the merciless wind and sun that day in Little River, the Mendocino High School tennis team showed no mercy as they left their final match against Anderson Valley with an overall score of four to one. Not only did this clinch the league championship for the spring season of 2019, but it also solidified the promise of a great deal of success to come in the future for Mendocino High School tennis.
The very first match of the season was against its nearest rival, just a 20-minute drive along the coast and through the woods headed north. Initially intimidated by the size of the Fort Bragg team, Mendocino High School’s eight players were looking particularly miniscule in comparison to a squad three times as large. In addition to that intimidation factor, Fort Bragg had held the title as league champions for the past three seasons, and Mendocino lost their top three senior players from the previous year. The odds were not looking good. Nevertheless, the Cardinals held firm against the Wolverines in a heated contest that came down to a final tie-breaking match. Mendocino eventually prevailed, which served as a real confidence-booster for the rest of the tennis season.
The practices that followed this inspiring first match aimed to help the players focus on gaining skills in certain areas, like serving and overhead shots. Additionally, they improved on their consistency by working with a ball machine historically known as “The Lobster,” previously out of commission due to technical issues. The players took serious advantage of every minute they had on the courts, staying long after the two-hour practices for challenge matches to help the coaches solidify their roster ladder for upcoming matches.
The dedication put in by the players was impressive. A senior on the team, Nathaniel Mills, said that he dedicates 25 hours a week to tennis, and that “off-season would be more than that,” since he continues to participate in a variety of tennis-related activities, “whether it be reading, watching tournaments, or going out and practicing hitting those fuzzy yellow balls.” These practices not only benefited Nathaniel and his partner Meilie, who went undefeated as doubles, but also inspired the rest of the team to feed off that momentum.
The team was on a winning streak after that first match, defeating every opponent they faced, including Fort Bragg for a second time. The energy of the team could be characterized as “invincible.” When asked to describe the team in a KZYX interview, head coach Dan Dickson said “They’re winners. This team is a bunch of winners. They’re highly motivated; they work hard,” he expressed proudly.
Unfortunately, all these tense wins may have caused their confidence to get the best of them. This became evident as Mendocino took on an adversary which it had shut out earlier in the season by a score of five to zero. In the second to last match of the season, Willits defeated Mendocino High School in a close match that ended with an overall game-score of two to three. This stripped the team of its undefeated title, but taught Mendocino a valuable lesson in not taking anything or any other team for granted.
Not all players let this humble them, however. “It was the coaches’ fault,” Chris Hayes stated after being upset about the loss. He blamed the lineup the coaches set that day, since it was somewhat irregular to the normal starting roster. Even though the loss certainly took a toll on the team’s enthusiasm, they didn’t let it completely discourage them: they knew their energy, focus, and determination was vital to a strong finish to this season.
Four days later the team rolled up to the Little River courts ready to seal their destiny; either as league champs or in a dreaded tie with Willits. This day was nerve-wracking, but the players prevailed, keeping their cool on a sunny day and sweeping their competition. This final win reflected how the season progressed for the team overall; with a little hiccup here and there, but still an all-around enjoyable and rewarding experience.
It can easily be said that the game of tennis is an individual sport. “As a whole it’s more an individual sport because strategy and momentum and the ultimate outcome of the game is so dependent on independent variables,” player Nathaniel Mills stated. However, the culmination of constructive competition and team spirit are what undoubtedly made the season’s ongoing achievements and final outcome possible. The reputation fostered this past season has sparked new interest and inspired continued determination among prospect and current players; solidifying the prediction of a promising future for Mendocino tennis.