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In a day where the weather looked like it might play spoiler, the Bonney Lake Panthers boys tennis team traveled to Bethel High School for a league match showdown with the Bisons. With rain pouring over Western Washington early in the morning, the prospect of any play seemed dim. But by mid-afternoon, the clouds broke, the rain stopped, and the sun peeked out just enough to dry the courts, giving both teams a chance to square off.
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Heading into the match, the Panthers found themselves sitting in the middle of the SPSL standings, while the Bisons, hungry for a win, were near the bottom. However, as both teams began gearing up for postseason play, neither was willing to give an inch. Bonney Lake ultimately secured a 4-1 victory, but not without some exciting moments along the way.
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Leading the charge for Bonney Lake, senior #1 singles player Gavin Orozco continued his undefeated season, facing Bethel’s Tristin Gibbons. Orozco, who has beat all opponents all year, made quick work of Gibbons in one of the fastest matches of the day, securing a 6-0, 6-0 victory. With just one regular season match remaining, Orozco’s focus is sharp—he’s on a mission to finish the season undefeated and carry that momentum into the postseason.
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The #1 doubles pairing of Thomas Howard and Jeremiah Mam faced a tougher challenge, going up against Bethel's Keegan Green and Justin Bernardo. The match was closely contested, but in the end, the Panthers duo struggled to find their rhythm, falling 4-6, 2-6, which tied the overall score at 1-1.
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With the pressure mounting, Bonney Lake’s reliable #3 doubles team, Holden Mann and Cameron Frey, once again delivered. They faced Bethel’s Jase Gibbons and Eugene Morgan and continued their winning ways, securing a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Now leading 2-1 on the day, the Panthers needed just one more win to clinch the match.
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That win would come from the day's most thrilling contest: the #2 doubles match. Bonney Lake’s Adam Quinto and Jarrett Sroka squared off against Bethel’s Henry Park and Martez Holland in a back-and-forth battle that had fans on edge. After dropping the first set 4-6, it looked like Quinto and Sroka might be down for the count. But they clawed their way back to take the second set 6-4, forcing a decisive third set. With the match on the line, the Panthers duo found their groove and sealed the deal, winning 6-3 and clinching the match at 3-1 for Bonney Lake.
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Meanwhile, on the #2 singles court, Bonney Lake’s Cameron Munsch faced Bethel’s Jacob Lathrop in a grueling contest of his own. Munsch won the first set 6-4, but dropped the second 2-6, setting up a third set just as Quinto and Sroka had finished their doubles win. Instead of playing out a full third set, the players agreed to a 10-point tiebreaker. With renewed energy and the match already won for Bonney Lake, Munsch closed out strong, taking the tiebreaker 10-3, giving the Panthers a 4-1 overall victory.
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With one more regular-season match left, the Panthers are headed to Yelm to take on the Tornados on October 10th. All eyes are on the postseason, but for now, the Panthers can savor another hard-fought win on the road. Go Panthers!
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