NATHANIEL MATA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McAllen Memorial’s Jack Wang completed a perfect District 30-6A career on Wednesday, winning his fourth boys singles district title. He helped clinch Memorial’s sixth straight team championship.
Wang’s championship came in comeback fashion over La Joya High’s Brian Galvan.
The senior, who reached the state quarterfinal match last season, said he still has room to improve.
“Today, I didn’t play particularly well, but these next two weeks I’m going to train to make sure I’m 100 percent ready,” Wang said. “Obviously, there’s no way of playing a perfect tennis match, but I think if you’re executing everything well and for the most part you’re doing what’s right, that’s as perfect as you can play.”
Mustangs coach Rhodora Elizondo said Wang is an influence on the whole team.
“They have someone to look up to, that’s one thing. Everyone is like, ‘Jack the superstar. We want be Jack Wang,’” Elizondo said. “He’s serious about tennis. You know a player is when he’s just in his head.”
The senior was part of a Mustangs team that again played strong, earning the overall title.
McAllen High boys duo of Robert Galligan and Nick Sanchez outlasted Memorial’s Arjun Koolwal and Alexander Kaplan to win the doubles championship.
McAllen Rowe’s girls had a strong showing this week. Seniors Lizbeth Alvarez and Jennifer Alvarado defeated fellow Lady Warriors Bianca Ochoa and Kassandra Guerra to sweep the girl’s doubles competition.
Freshman Anna Mora won the singles district title over McAllen High’s Camila Sanchez.
Rowe coach Bryan Garcia said Mora’s future is “obviously bright.” She joins a Rowe girls squad that has been powerful lately.
Garcia says a light atmosphere is key.
“I just try to keep practice fun,” Garcia said. “I just tell them to have fun. They know what to do. They have been working hard in this sport for years.”
In District 31-6A, Edinburg Vela’s Victoria Villanueva won the girls singles championship. Vela also boasts champions in boys doubles with the duo of Sergio Salinas and Steven Hodge winning first place.
The SaberCats had an undefeated team tennis season in the fall and are carrying that momentum into spring.
Coach Monica Gonzalez will take a group of seven, all seniors, to regionals.
“This is the first that they’re going to regionals, each of these seniors,” Gonzalez said. “When they won, I was crying. I was so proud of them and so excited for them. A lot of the coaching in between the matches was more motivational. They know what to do, they know how to execute the points.”
PSJA North’s Fernando Gonzalez was crowned district champion in boys singles without dropping a game in the final.
PSJA Memorial had a strong showing in doubles. In girls doubles, a pair of Wolverines sophomores, Cindya Hernandez and Hannia Alvarado, won the district championship. The Wolverines’ Oziel Puente and Debra Mendoza earned the mixed doubles championship after coming back against Edinburg North.
Memorial coach Francisco Zepeda didn’t expect such a strong performance after losing players to graduation at the end of last season.
“It was very surprising for us,” Zepeda said. “Last year, we were district champs, and I lost almost the whole team, because they were seniors. We knew we were going to be young and a little weaker this year, but man, they worked hard, and they did awesome.”
Advancing players will compete in the Region IV tournament on April 18-19 at the McFarland Tennis Center in San Antonio.
VALLEY-TENNIS RESULTS
Top two in each division qualify for regionals
District 30-6A
Boys Singles
1. Jack Wang, McAllen Memorial
2. Brian Galvan, La Joya High
3. Andre Hernandez, McAllen High
Girls Singles
1. Anna Mora, McAllen Rowe
2. Camila Gonzalez, McAllen High
3. Zulema Salinas, McAllen Rowe
Boys Doubles
1. Robert Galligan/Nick Sanchez, McAllen High
2. Arjun Koolwal/Alexander Kaplan, McAllen Memorial
3. Sebastian Santos/Rajiv Swarup, McAllen Memorial
Girls Doubles
1. Lizbeth Alvarez/Jennifer Alvarado, McAllen Rowe
2. Bianca Ochoa/Kassandra Guerra, McAllen Rowe
3. Maddie West/Valeria Gracia McAllen High
Mixed Doubles
1. Andres Spinetti/Alexia Giraldo, McAllen Memorial
2. Daniel Garza/Nathalie Galligan, McAllen High
3. Francisco Salinas/Lillian Honrubia
District 31-6A
Girls Singles
1. Victoria Villanueva, Edinburg Vela
2. Priscilla Morales, PSJA Memorial
3. Olivia Salazar, Edinburg High
Girls Doubles
1. Hannia Alvarado, Cindya Hernandez, PSJA Memorial
2. Noelani Castellano, Laura Lopez, Edinburg Vela
3. Gehovanna Ramirez, Brianna Cortez, Edinburg High
Boys Singles
1. Fernando Gonzalez, PSJA North
2. Marcelo Gonzalez, PSJA Southwest
3. Andres Salazar, Edinburg High
Boys Doubles
1. Sergio Salinas, Steven Hodge, Edinburg Vela
2. Jaime Castillo, Aaron Castaneda, Edinburg Vela
3. Aliber Solis, Rene Arce, Edinburg Economedes
Mixed Doubles
1. Debra Mendoza, Oziel Puente, PSJA Memorial
2. Lovette Sanez, Juan Torres, Edinburg North
3. Garret Govea, Edinburg Vela