By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Morenci’s boys tennis team succumbed 1-8 to both the Eagles in Thatcher on March 6 and to the Safford Bulldogs in Morenci on March 7, and defeated the Yellow Jackets 7-2 in Tombstone on March 10 during week two of competition.
The Wildcats (5-2) have prevailed in 28-42 singles and 12-21 doubles matches.
In singles, No. 1 sophomore Matthew Garcia, No. 3 senior Marcus Aguallo, No. 4 sophomore Andrew Vigil and No. 6 junior Luis Tejada are each 5-2; No. 2 sophomore Tanner Hudman is 3-4; No. 5 sophomore Ryan Williams 3-1 and freshman Shaun Espinoza 2-1.
The duos of Garcia – Hudman, Aguallo – Vigil and Williams – freshman Mario Garcia are each 1-0; Matthew Garcia – Aguallo 4-2; Hudman – Vigil 3-3; Tejada – Espinoza 2-1 and Williams – Tejada 1-2.
Morenci hosts the Pima Roughriders on Tuesday, March 14.
Morenci at Tombstone
The Wildcats won five of six singles plus two of three doubles matches in ‘the town too tough to die’.
Matthew Garcia and Williams both recorded 8-4 wins over Joey Schaub and Nathan Snider, respectively; Aguallo and Vigil both posted shutouts over Jon Michael Bulow and Chris Aterburn, respectively, and Tejada took the tie-breaker over Bobby Phillips for the other singles win.
In doubles, Aguallo – Vigil and Williams – Mario Garcia defeated Adam Bastain – Aterburn 8-4 and Snider – Phillips 8-3, respectively.
The losses were 5-8 by Hudman to Bastain in singles and 3-8 by Matthew Garcia – Hudman to Schaub – Bulow in doubles.
Photo By Raymundo Frasquillo: Morenci’s No. 2 boys sophomore Tanner Hudman (3-4) reaches up to return the ball against Safford’s Spencer Jarvis, falling in two sets, 1-6 and 3-7 in the tie-breaker March 7. Hudman also fell to Logan McMaster of Thatcher on March 6 and to Adam Bastain of Tombstone on March 10.
Morenci vs. Safford
Morenci won a lone singles match, by Williams in two sets, 6-5 and 7-3 in the tie-breaker following a 6-6 deadlock.
The losses were 2-6 twice by Matthew Garcia to Zach Giorno; 1-6 and 3-7 in the tie-breaker by Hudman to Spencer Jarvis; 0-6 and 2-6 by Aguallo to Matt Hackett; 0-6 and 1-6 by Vigil to A.J. Camarena, plus 2-6 and 1-6 by Tejada to Andrew Smith.
In doubles, Hudman – Vigil fell 3-10 to Jarvis – Hackett; Garcia Aguallo 0-10 to Giorno – Camarena, and Williams – Tejada 4-10 to Crohn – Henrie.
Morenci at Thatcher
Vigil left Thatcher with the Wildcats’ only win, 6-4 and 7-5 over Brandon Udall.
The singles losses were 0-6 twice by Garcia to Dallin Cook; 0-6 and 1-6 by Hudman to Logan McMaster; 3-6 and 1-6 by Aguallo to Aaron Hatch; 2-6 twice by Williams to Tyler Beirman, plus 1-6 and 6-7 by Tejada to Breton Straddling.
Morenci was swept in the doubles pairings, 0-10 by Hudman – Vigil to Cook – Udall; 3-10 by Garcia – Aguallo to McMaster – Hatch and 2-10 by Williams – Tejada to Bierman – Richardson.
