Cobarruvias gone, Panthers lose in Valley semis match
Orange Belt players eliminated on Valley day 1
The Porterville High boys' tennis team was oh-so close.
The No. 3 Panthers, pitted against second-seeded Tehachapi, fell 5-4 Friday in the CIF Central Section Division III semifinals.
On the road, Porterville lost its first three singles matches. Jeremy Eggman (0-6, 1-6), C.J. Cobarruvias (2-6, 1-6) and Andrew Chung (3-6, 5-7) all fell short.
Cobarruvias, one of the Panthers’ more dominant players, was “compelled to leave for a choir concert” before he could provide his doubles services, Porterville coach Pat McCusker said.
“We were hitting without one of our all-stars,” McCusker said.
Luis Suarez found himself on the better end of a 5-7, 7-5 (10-2) shootout while Raul Mejia (6-2, 6-2) and Vicente Felix (6-4, 6-2) recorded easy victories to knot the match at 3-apiece.
In doubles play, Andrew Chung-Roger Moreno captured a 6-2, 6-1 win. Mejia-Suarez were dispatched 1-6, 3-6.
Eggman-Adrian Vidrio lost a tight 6-4, 4-6 (6-10) match, which proved to be the difference-maker.
“We had a great season,” McCusker said. “This group was a surprise. Nobody figured they’d achieve what they did. They really gelled as a team and came out of nowhere.”
At the Valley singles and doubles tournament Saturday at Buchanan, Eggman-Cobarruvias in their first match won 6-1, 6-2. The Porterville duo was put away for good when it next slipped 0-6, 1-6.
Representing Monache was Alex Phaphol-J.C. Rodriguez, who first recorded a 6-1, 6-0 win before falling 4-6, 3-6 to the No. 7 team from Buchanan.
Brandon Newcom-Awais Khalid, also of Monache, had a first-round bye. They lost their lone match 1-6, 3-6.
The Marauders’ Goldie Rayani came up short 0-6, 1-6 in Round 1.
“The boys played strong,” Monache coach Gary Perez said. “It was a good way to finish up the season.”
