DEUCES ARE WILD, AMCAN TOPS NAPA
Wolves doubles team sweeps to help capture their 2nd victory this week
Sports have been pretty silent during the past year at American Canyon High due to the pandemic, but the girls tennis team made quite the racket this past week in its return to the court.
For the second time in three days the Wolves (2-0) picked up a victory, this time a 4-3 thriller over visiting Napa High thanks to the solid play from their doubles teams, which won all three matches.
American Canyon also defeated Casa Grande 6-1 on Tuesday. However, head coach Annie Monteleone was even more pleased that the team was able to play any kind of match at all. Sports have been canceled at American Canyon and in the Vine Valley Athletic League since last March when the coronavirus was labeled a pandemic.
“This year I have to yell louder, that’s for sure,” Monteleone said. “But I love coaching this tennis team. It’s been four years and everybody is so excited to be back on the court. The weather is so beautiful right now and we had some work done on the courts so everyone is excited to be back.”
“They all want to get out,” Monteleone continued. “Before we had only two days of practice a week and now we’re at five days a week and everyone is showing up. It shows just how eager they are.”
The Grizzlies won the No. 1, 2 and 3 singles matches from Sophia Mostow, Sophia Kroll and Cameron Wickers, but it was the Wolves that had strength in numbers. American Canyon freshman Ezrielle Llave won her
No. 4 singles match 6-4, 6-1, but the rest of the Wolves victories belonged to the doubles teams. The No. 3 doubles duo of seniors Lauren Wheelhouse and Charlene Maglalang defeated Zariel Robels and Julia Bui 6-2, 6-2 in the last match of the night to earn the win for the Wolves.
The win was highlighted by a pair of aces late by Wheelhouse in the seventh game of the second set, the later of the two closing out the game to make it 5-2. Wheelhouse had a nice return to her right side in the eighth game to keep a volley alive in a game eventually won to seal the victory.
“It’s really exciting and the whole team likes that we’re back
on the court,” Wheelhouse said. “I missed playing with the whole team since we’re like family. I just missed this family.”
Wheelhouse and Maglalang weren’t the only doubles pair to play well for the Wolves as the No. 1 team of junior Katie Ayers and freshman Morgan Crowell also grabbed a victory earlier in the afternoon. The duo was thrilled at how well they played considering they had only been competing as a doubles team for about two weeks.
“Our communication was great and we seemed to be comfortable with each other,” Crowell said. “Everything was working for us whether it was her at the net or myself at the baseline.”
The No. 2 doubles team of Emily Satake and Ariel Legler also earned a win (61, 6-1) for the Wolves.
Parents and/or fans were not allowed to watch the match from the courts although some spectators watched from a nearby hill. With this being the second match since the return from the pandemic, every one seemed to understand the new rules.
About the only confusion during the afternoon came from the rules concerning wearing a mask while playing. The doubles teams had to wear a mask at all times because they were usually closer to teammates than a singles player. The singles players did not have to wear masks except when going to the net to change the score and any time off the court rooting for teammates. However, early on the afternoon some players wore a mask either over their mouths or on their necks. Both coaches wanted to do the right thing, but seemed a little confused at first about the guidelines.
According to some of the players, wearing a mask while competing in practice or a match is something that is taking a little time to get used to, but some players are already comfortable withit.
“Most of us are getting used to the masks, but when we take them off our breathing is different,” Wheelhouse said. “Personally I prefer to wear my mask while playing.”
Monteleone said players will get more used to wearing masks as the season goes on.
“I tell them to find different material. It’s just like glasses if they’re fogging up too much,” Monteleone said. “You have to find a mask that best fits you. It’s something we have to follow. We can’t say ‘We’ll just take it off.’ We wear it for protection.”