Española tennis continues to be on the rise, while the girls team had their best finish in years, and both teams have a chance to make it the best season in team history.
The Española girls tennis team placed second in the district team tournament on April 22 at Santa Fe High School, reaching the finals for the first time since 2016. The boys team also finished strong with a fourth-place finish, which they hope will be enough to reach the state championships.
“We deserve where we are right now,” senior Katy Gaytan said. “For Española to come as runner-ups, I think that’s an honor, and I think that’s an honor for sure.”
The week prior, the Española girls won their pool play, defeating Taos 8-1, St. Michael’s 9-0 and Los Alamos 5-4. “Everyone played their part, and did what they needed to do,” Española coach Nancy Suazo said.
That put them straight into the semifinals, where they again defeated Taos, who beat Moriarty earlier in the day. This time, they won 7-1, while no match was played in 2 Singles.
“St. Mike’s and (Santa Fe) Prep have always had really good, strong players,” Gaytan said.
“That just showed us that we can make it here,” senior Nicole Velasquez said.
Velasquez said that having a close team motivated them, and pushed them to their level of success.
The Lady Sundevils fell short of what would have been the first district championship in school history with a loss in the final to Robertson. Kaydence Arrey won in 6 singles (where she is undefeated this season) 6-2, 6-1, but Española lost the other five singles matches in straight sets, and they did not play doubles.
Part of their struggle that day, coach Nancy Suazo said, is that they did not have a large cheering section on the cold and windy day in Santa Fe, compared to what they were used to.
Española’s boys team won in pool play against Taos 9-0, but lost 5-4 to both Los Alamos and St. Michael’s, putting them in third place in their pool. On April 21, they won their first match over Robertson, 5-3. But they lost to St. Michael’s in the semifinal, 5-1, winning only in 2 Doubles.
And in the third-place match the next day, they lost big to Los Alamos, a team they had beaten earlier in the season. The top two doubles teams both lost in straight sets, while the 3 Doubles team lost in three sets. Then, they finished quick wins in 2 and 3 Singles, and called an end to the match, though other players were starting to make progress.
The girls team will likely enter the state tournament in May as a high seed after their district runner-up finish.
“We’re all happy just to get there, of course,” Velasquez said. “But we’re not satisfied with that. And we’re just going to keep pushing and get as far as we can.”
The boys team will have to wait and see if they make the 12-team state tournament as the fourth team in the district. A year ago, they were the No. 12 seed, as the fourth team in their district, but nearly pulled a first-round upset. They have had a very strong regular season, beating top teams in 4A and 5A. Their only 4A losses have been to district teams and state favorite Albuquerque Academy.
“I can almost guarantee that these three teams that beat us are going to get high seeds — 2, 3, 4 potentially, 2, 3, 5,” Suazo said. “I do believe we’re like seventh or eighth-best in the state. But are they going to take four (from the district).”
Next week, the boys and girls players will play in Taos at the district individual championships.
“I’m just proud of the program, and I’m just proud that we keep building a stronger and stronger program each and every year,” Suazo said.