Gridley High School boys tennis players line up during their final match of the season. From left are Alex Sims, Will Bevan, Lawson Rivas, Eric Espinosa, Beck Stewart, Byron McLellen, Alvaro Montoro and James Woolery. Photo courtesy of Gridley High School

 

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The Gridley High School boy’s tennis team finished second in league play this season with a 7-3 record, matching Oroville High School but securing the higher standing through a stronger head-to-head result.

Gridley split matches with Oroville, falling 4-5 in one meeting and winning 6-3 in the other to claim the tiebreaker. The team also posted a strong performance at the West Side League individual finals held last week at Las Plumas High School.

In team competition, matches consist of six singles and three doubles contests, with lineup positions determined through challenge matches in practice.

Junior Beck Stewart led Gridley at the No. 1 singles position throughout the season, finishing with an 8-2 record. Stewart entered the league tournament as the No. 2 seed and earned All-League honors after wins over Corning and Oroville opponents.

At the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, juniors Alvaro Montoro and Byron McLellen shared duties. Montoro, an exchange student from Spain, posted a 6-4 record. McLellen finished 8-2 and used an aggressive net presence to secure key points.

Sophomore James Woolery, playing at No. 4, also finished 8-2. Freshman Eric Espinosa competed at No. 5, while freshman Alex Sims played No. 6 and showed steady improvement, ending the season 4-6.

Additional contributors included freshman Will Bevan and sophomore Lawson Rivas, who competed in exhibition matches.

At the WSL individual tournament, McLellen opened with an 8-4 win before falling to Orland’s top player. Espinosa faced Oroville’s top seed and lost 4-8. Montoro advanced with an 8-1 win before dropping his next match.

Woolery recorded one of the tournament’s notable results, defeating Corning’s top player in a tiebreaker before exiting in the following round.

Stewart advanced through early rounds with two wins before competing in both singles and doubles play. He and McLellen combined for a doubles victory before later falling in windy conditions.

In doubles, Montoro and Woolery secured an 8-3 win in the opening round before being eliminated in the second round.

Gridley will continue postseason play with Stewart advancing to the Northern Section individual tournament on May 9. The team is also set to compete in the Northern Section team playoffs beginning April 28.

The roster featured several underclassmen, positioning the program for continued success in future seasons.