Flames find success TCAL, team playoffs

STOCKTON — Members of the Lodi High girls tennis team have reasons to smile.

First, competing at the TriCity Athletic League Tournament at In-Shape Marina on Thursday, Lodi singles player Emma Canepa competed in the semifinals of the tournament. Tracy’s Tyler Ness posted a 6-1, 7-5 win over Canepa in their semifinals’ match-up.

Prior to the match, Canepa, who’s been Lodi’s No. 1 singles player most of the season, won 10-0.

Other Lodi singles’ players taking part at the tournament were Nikki Barajas, the Flames’ No. 2 player who went 1-1 on the day. She lost to St. Mary’s Hannah Ketcherside 10-1, but knocked off Lincoln’s Kate Shea 10-6. Lodi’s No. 3 in Johnna Schroeder defeated West’s Jordan Mangskau 10-4, but lost in the quarterfinals to Ness 10-4.

Tokay’s representatives were No. 1 singles player Rebecca Kostolaniova, who lost her only match to St. Mary’s Ali Gabbard 10-4. The Tigers’ Zoe Workman fell to Lincoln’s Brynn Black 10-1.

Team playoffs

Lodi, which took second place in the TCAL with an 8-2 record and 14-3 overall, earned the No. 3 seed in the SacJoaquin Section Division II playoff bracket, which were released on the section’s website, cifsjs.org, on Thursday.

This Monday, Lodi will host No. 14 seed Central Valley of Ceres, which took third place in the Western Athletic Conference with 6-4 mark. The meeting is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

Should Lodi win its playoff opener, it will play the No. 11Elk Grove-No. 6 Cosumnes Oaks of Elk Grove meeting next Wednesday.