The Belen boys and girls tennis teams secured district titles last week with wins over Miyamura and Gallup to close out the district slate.
The girls’ team, led by Riley Cordova and Isabella Jaramillo, sits at 13-1 on the year with the only loss coming to 5A Farmington.
Cordova and Jaramillo are the teams’ top two singles players and also make up one of the top doubles pairings in the state.
The boys team currently is 10-4 on the year heading into the final week of the season, which features matchups with Cleveland and Hope Christian.
“Both teams put in the maximum practice allowed with COVID-19,” coach Chrissy Cordova said. “The kids adapted well with wearing masks and the mandatory pods of 4-1.
“The constant practice changes only helped their tennis skills to get better. They took to heart all their time on the court, making them stronger as a team and as individual tennis players.”
Cordova said the girls’ team has benefitted from the tight bond they’ve developed throughout the season up and down the roster.
“They have exceeded what they thought they were capable of,” she said. “Thanks to their record they are on the radar for an excellent bracket seed for state.
“Their team is lead by all 12 players. The top six that play are supported by the rest of the girls. There is so much unity throughout the team.
“Lots of laughs and singing on the court. That kind of fun and support leads to titles. It looks really good for them this year.”
As the girls have been led by unity, the boys, with only six on the team, have been able to persevere their way to a district title of their own and a winning record.
“These boys never back down from a challenge,” Cordova said. “They’ve been able to get better with each match.”
The district tournament will be held at Belen on Friday, June 4, and Saturday, June 5, in advance of the state individuals and doubles matches which begin on June 10.
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April 18, 2024
