Strathmore tennis clinches D-VI Valley championship

Just one team stood in the way of Strathmore boys tennis for the Division VI Valley championship — McFarland.

The Spartans, composed of one senior, one freshman and the rest sophomores, became the youngest team in school history to win the D-VI title, 7-2, and possibly established a dynasty for the next two seasons.

In his final match, senior and No. 1 singles player Daniel Magana bested McFarland’s Alex Medina, 6-2, 6-2. Magana is the lone Spartan to represent the team at Valley individuals in Bakersfield.

No. 2 player Austin Della likewise had little trouble, winning 6-2, 6-3, but No. 3 Justin Reyes dropped the only singles point, 2-6, 6-7 (2-7), to Adam Marquez.

Freshman Sakthi Serelathan crushed his counterpart, 6-1, 6-1, and Braulio Lopez (6-3, 6-2) and Hector Gonzalez (6-1, 6-0) rounded out the top six.

Magana and Della combined to earn a doubles point, 6-4, 6-3 while the tandem of Lopez and Ivan Ceja, who will represent the Spartans in the Valley doubles tournament, eked out a close three-set win, 5-7, 6-1, 10-6.

Luis Sanchez and Felipe Novoa dropped the third doubles match, 3-6, 1-6.

Led by second-year coach Derik Knutson, the Spartans (13-4, 6-4 ESL) rebounded from a 5-9 finish last year to finish second in league.