Thanks to Maranatha for this report:

Boys Tennis:

The first time these squads squared off, it was extremely competitive and close, with nearly every set going to the wire.

The match was halted at 8-8, due to darkness.

Though competitive, there was a healthy respect and appreciation for one another.

With a slot in their mutual schedules opening up, the squads agreed to “run it back” to take care of unfinished business.

Given their equal strength, both head coaches knew it was going to be another tight and competitive affair.

Their teams did not disappoint. The match had playoff intensity throughout, as each player knew that every game of every set would count.

The first round was tied, 2-2, with #2 singles, Sawyer Tarampi, coming from behind to slip past the Moors’ #2, 7-5, and #2 doubles, Victor Qiao/Eli Su, winning the #2’s matchup, 6-2.

No. 1 doubles, Shahe Yerevanian/Matt Yip, came up just short, 4-6, putting the Moors ahead, 3-2.

The Minutemen were on the verge of finishing the round, 2-4, as #1 Josh Im trailed, 4-5 and then 5-6.

He battled to even the score to force a tie-breaker, and barely outlasted his opponent in the hour-long set, 7-5(5) to even the match at 3 sets a piece. What a crucial win it proved to be.

The Minutemen pulled ahead in the second round, behind strong performances from Yerevanian/Yip (6-3), Qiao/Su (6-3), Im (6-2), and Tarampi (6-1), giving them a 7-5 lead.

Though Maranatha had the 7-5 lead in sets, the Moors were ahead in overall games won, due to their dominance against MHS’s #3 singles and doubles.

Knowing they were behind in games won, Yerevanian/Yip and Im, doubled down, intent on winning by the largest margins possible. They succeeded, with focused and intentional 6-1, 6-0 wins.

Though they lost, 2-6 and 4-6 in the final round, #3 singles, Elbert Sun, and#3 doubles, Malachi Dhamaratne/Spencer Wang, each played their best sets of the day, also knowing the need for as many games as possible.

Maranatha led, 9-7, with the final two sets in progress.

It looked good for the Minutemen at that juncture, with Qiao/Su leading, 4-3, and Tarampi leading 5-3.

Both teams knew the math: if the Moors find a way to come back to win both sets, they even the score at 9-9 and win on games. Maranatha needed to win one of the final two sets for the victory.

Qiao/Su surrendered their lead, giving up their final 3 games, for a 4-6 outcome, reducing Maranatha’s lead to 9-8.

All eyes went to Tarampi’s court, where AHS’s #1 singles erased his deficit, evening the score at 5-5.

The tension was palpable and grew with each ensuing point, with both teams cheering and hanging on every stroke.

With a 6-5 lead, serving for the match, Tarampi was quickly broken, forcing another tiebreaker for the Moors’ top player.

The tiebreaker remained close the entire way, and was 5-5 when Tarampi kept his composure in a long rally to pull ahead, 6-5. Another long tense rally ensued before his opponent hit the ball an inch long, giving Tarampi the 7-6(5) win, and the Minutemen a thrilling nail-biting win.

Thanks to the heroics of Tarampi and Im, who swept, and the huge contributions of Yerevanian/Yip and Qiao/Su, who each won 2 of 3 sets, the Minutemen enter their Easter Break on a positive note and a 5-3-1 overall record; 2-0 in league.

Upon their return after a week off, Maranatha finishes off their regular season with 3 league matches that will determine whether they will earn a spot in the CIF-SS playoffs.

Photo of Sawyer Tarampi courtesy of Amanda Lin.