Thanks to Maranatha coach, Arthur Hsieh, for this report:

Boys Tennis:

Towards the end of the final round of play in the CIF-SS Division 4 quarterfinals playoff match between No. 3 Maranatha and No. 6 Santa Ynez, the head coaches conferred and acknowledged that the match was going to come down to two evenly matched doubles sets.

If Maranatha wins those sets, the match would end in a 9-9 tie and move on to the semifinals on total games won.

On one court was Maranatha’s No. 2 doubles, Sean Tang/Sawyer Tarampi; on the other was No. 1 Jordan Miao/Joshua Im. It looked promising for the Minutemen, as they led 4-3 on both courts.

That’s when the maturity and experience of the Pirates kicked in, as they fought their way back on both courts to prevail versus Tang/Tarampi, 6-4, and against Miao/Im, 7-5, securing the intense 11-7 victory.

The real difference in the match was two-fold, as the entire Santa Ynez squad was compromised of seniors, whose physical, mental, and emotional maturity showed.

Secondly, most of their seniors have been friends since elementary school, playing tennis on their junior high team, as well as going to their church’s youth group together.

That camaraderie, bond, and brotherhood was on display and provided just the edge the Pirates needed, as 4 doubles sets were decided by the razor thin margins of 6-4 and 7-5.

The Minutemen were paced once again by their captains and singles players,

Tim Huang and Nico Engling, who won their matches, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0, and 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 respectively.

Miao/Im won Maranatha’s only other set, 6-2, while the rest of the doubles teams consistently came up just short, unable to pull out any of the close sets.

With this loss, the careers of four-year starters, Huang and Engling, come to a close, having tasted the joys of playing in the CIF-SS Div. 4 finals in their 2019 freshmen campaign, as well as the bitterness of losing that final, 8-10, on a forfeited final-round set due to a teammate’s injury.

Huang and Engling were the heart and soul of this year’s team, beating every player they were supposed to beat.

The Minutemen also say farewell to Miao (3 years on varsity), Sean Tang (1 yr.), and Jonathan Jo (1 yr.).

With the seniors’ departures, if Maranatha is going to be relevant in boys tennis next season, the returners are going to have to step up, put in the work, and take the baton of leading the team.

The Minutemen finish the season, 15-2, and Coastal League co-champions.

Photo of Laci Szabo, Tim Huang, Nico Engling, Jonathan Jo, Sean Tang, and Jordan Miao courtesy of Amanda Lin