It’s all coming together at the right time for Ripon Christian’s coed tennis team, which has put itself in position to make school history.
The second-seeded Knights soundly dispatched Pioneer Valley League champion Colfax 8-1 in the semifinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs Monday at Acacia Park Tennis Courts. They’ll make their first title-round appearance since doing so three times in the 1980s, dropping each match in ’85, ’88 and ’89.
Ripon Christian, the Southern Athletic League co-champion, faces either top-seeded Argonaut or No. 5 Forest Lake Christian on Wednesday at a neutral site yet to be determined. This is the inaugural season of the second division in the Section’s expanded playoffs for coed tennis.
The Knights had to avoid an upset in the opening round last week, edging past No. 7 Amador, 5-4. They were without two key doubles players, but coach Melody de Abreu believes the experience prepared the team for this moment.
“Playing in the league tournament and against Amador, they rose to the occasion,” de Abreu said. “Their game went up in each match on every single court. They’ve figured out the game of tennis, and they truly played their best today.
“They secured this win pretty early, but they’re going to have to bring their game up again on Wednesday.”
Third-seeded Colfax went into the match at a disadvantage, as it was unable to field a mixed doubles team. That was ultimately not a factor, as Ripon Christian took care of business on the court.
Senior Isaac Buwalda was the first to finish, as he knocked off Nathan Franscella 6-0, 6-3 in the No. 1 boys singles match.
“I started getting tired in the second set. I was feeling confident, just missing a lot of serves, unfortunately,” Buwalda said, adding that the strong winds affected his serving. “It’s something I can work on (in practice) tomorrow. I’m just super excited for the next one.”
The No. 1 girls doubles team of Maya De Jong and Ruth Visser followed with a tidy 6-0, 6-4 victory. Jaden Bohn and Drew Meester won at No. 1 boys doubles 6-4, 6-2, leaving it to Sarah Vander Veen to clinch RC’s spot in the final.
Ripon Christian’s top female player was able to put away some clutch deuce points in defeating Ella Walsh, 6-4, 6-2.
“I had a 4-0 lead (in the first set), but she’s very good and I think she just had to get warmed up,” Vander Veen said of Walsh. We have a very similar hitting style, so it was interesting to see that.”
Vander Veen overcame a short break in action after her opponent had to replace the strings on her racquet.
Logan Pollard and Sam Roos took the No. 2 boys doubles match, 6-4, 6-2. No. 2 girls Sydney Briggs and Josie Bohn prevailed, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1.
In the most evenly-matched duel of the day, RC’s Derek Van Elderen outlasted Luke Green at No. 2 boys singles, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Jade Biittner registered the lone win for Colfax, as she held off Ellie Dyt, 6-4, 6-4.
“We’ve come a long way from where we were,” de Abreu said. “A lot of new players on the team who are new to tennis or came from other sports, and we’re sharing the with robotics, debate and other clubs. They have really come together.”
