CHS tops Rams, Lady Rams

CLOVIS - Clovis High's tennis squads posted dual-match victories over Portales High on Friday, winning the boys matchup 8-1 and the girls contest 7-2 at the CHS tennis courts.

The PHS girls were playing a bit shorthanded, with seniors Laura Blaeser and Taryn Wood unavailable. Blaeser, who plays No. 1 singles, was at a college orientation while Wood, the No. 2 singles player who also teams with Blaeser at No. 1 doubles, was out with an illness.

PHS coach Ann-Marie Bucksath moved players up in the lineup.

"It allowed some of the younger players to get some experience," she said.

Because of threatening weather, the teams played pro-sets. The Lady Wildcats dominated in most divisions, but Portales did manage a win at No. 3 singles when freshman Madi Sena outlasted Clovis' Alex Gonzales 8-6.

"Everyone did pretty good," said Lady Cats coach Jeannette Albin, whose squad was coming off a District 4-5A win at Hobbs earlier in the week. "It was a good day to kind of build our confidence."

For the boys, sophomore Markus Aranda was involved in the Rams' two wins, edging CHS freshman Titus Wampler 8-7 (10-7) at No. 6 singles while teaming with eighth-grader Joey Rutter for an 8-7 (10-3) win at No. 3 doubles. Aranda overcame a 6-1 deficit in the singles tie-breaker.

"The boys are improving every day," Bucksath said.

Clovis lost a total of nine games in the other seven divisions, with senior Brandon Heath at No. 1 single and sophomore David Case at No. 2 both winning 8-0. They also teamed up for an 8-0 win at No. 1 doubles.

Portales has a District 4-4A duals on tap Monday at Lovington, while Clovis is back in action the following day at home against District 4-5A rival Roswell High.

Lady Cats outlast Hobbs - The Lady Cats notched wins at Nos. 3-6 singles and at No. 3 doubles to take a 5-4 District 4-5A victory at Hobbs on Tuesday.

Senior Ryan Harmon and junior Charlese Phillips claimed a 6-0, 6-0 win over the Lady Eagles' Lynlee Armstrong and Natalie Vega for Clovis' only win in doubles competition.

Gonzales at No. 3, Harmon at No. 4, sophomore Niliyaah Hall at No. 5 and Phillips at No. 6 were winners in singles, with Harmon rallying for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Hobbs' Jessica Sturgill.

"I was proud of her," Albin said. "She played hard and pulled out the win."

In the boys' match, the Eagles posted a 9-0 victory. In the closest match of the day, Heath took the first set from Hobbs' Ethan Jimenez at No. 1 singles, but eventually dropped a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 decision.

Lady Rams come up short at Artesia - In District 4-4A, the PHS girls carried a 4-3 lead into Thursday's completion of a lightning-suspended match from May 15, but couldn't hold on as the Lady Bulldogs won the final two decisions for a 5-4 victory.

Singles wins for Portales were by Blaeser at No. 1, Wood at No. 2 and Maggie Duong at No. 5. Blaeser and Wood teamed up for the only Lady Rams win in doubles, beating Artesia's Jessie Watts and Aubujni Olguin 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1.

Artesia won the boys' dual on Saturday 7-2. The lone wins for PHS were in singles by sophomore Xodus Gomez at No. 2 and eighth-grader Paxton Culpepper at No. 6.