GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The first time Paradise Adventist Academy and Gridley High School faced off on the tennis courts this year, Paradise senior Tanner Sitanggang was nowhere to be found and Gridley won the match 6-3.

Sitanggang was not about to miss the rematch on March 29 at Gridley (5-6, 4-3 Butte View League). The Paradise (5-4, 2-0) senior displayed an awesome serve and powerful groundstrokes to beat Bulldogs junior Spencer Davis 6-1, 6-1 in their matchup of top seeds. 

Gridley sophomore Ryan Woolery increased his games-won total against sophomore Cedric Smith in their rematch, but it was not enough as Smith prevailed again. Junior Wyatt Smith was also missing from the first meet. He showed the Bulldogs what they were missing with a solid all-around game during his victory over junior Jeremy Longmire.

No. 5 seed sophomore Eric Ramirez continued to show improvement as the Bulldogs lineman from the football team went to a third-set tiebreak against senior Alex Arriaza. Ramirez was edged out 6-4, 5-7, 4-10.

No. 6 seed freshman Cesar Ortiz needed seven games to win his first set over freshman Dillian Rios, but then won the second set easily 6-0. Ortiz then paired with senior Taylor Johnson and the two won their doubles match 8-2 over senior Luke Selby and freshman Matt Camozzi. It was Ortiz’s fourth doubles victory of the season and Johnson’s second in as many tries.

Bulldog head coach Bob Moffitt said he was hopeful the meet would re-enforce the lessons learned at the hands of Orland (11-3, 8-0) and Oroville (8-2, 5-2 WSL) in the previous two weeks.

“We have seen our future in these three schools,” Moffitt said. “We must improve our topspin game and our ball placement. If we do not, we are going to really struggle when it comes playoff time. These are lessons you would rather learn early in a season rather than later.”

The Bulldogs would rebound two days later as Las Plumas came to town (0-8, 0-7 WSL). With only three players available, Las Plumas was already bound to lose the match via forfeit. However, Lee Howard from Las Plumas was not in the mood to see his squad totally white-washed. He rebounded from a 6-1 first-set drubbing at the hands of Davis to even the match with a 6-0 win of his own.

Howard would win the tiebreak 10-3. Woolery and Longmire beat Troy Atkins and Nathan Cruz respectively in straight sets. Atkins and Cruz would fall to Ortiz and Ramirez in doubles 8-3. For the second-straight meet, Ortiz was named player of the match for the Bulldogs.

In an exhibition match, Moffitt and Las Plumas head coach Rob Rodney squared off against Davis and Howard (the two No. 1 seeds from each team) and prevailed 8-6.

“Thank goodness Rob can play. Otherwise, I would have been dead meat,” said a grinning Moffitt afterward. “It was awesome to see a coach of any sport demonstrate that competition is supposed to be fun with his idea that we should play the two No. 1s. I wish more coaches were like Rob and focused on that aspect of competition rather than just winning.”

The Bulldogs topped the .500 mark for the second time this season in Butte View League play. They will play Corning (3-8, 2-7 WSL) and Orland next week.