sa国际传媒官网网页入口

The sa国际传媒官网网页入口 High boys have been banging quite loudly on the door of the high school state tennis scene recently, finishing runner-up in consecutive years at the state championships, but the Bulldogs have not quite broken through.

And while winning the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Metro Championships is not nearly the same thing as carting off with the big blue trophy in May, Saturday鈥檚 hefty addition to the AHS showcase is still an awfully big deal.

鈥淚 keep using these words all season long,鈥� Bulldogs coach Mike Rocca said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 tenacity and it is hard work playing for one another, and they did it.鈥�

On the girls side, sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Academy held off a stubborn Sandia squad to win 5-2 in what was the first of a new format for the metro tournament.

The individual brackets were eliminated. Instead, the 18-team field was divided into six pools of three. The six-pool winners advanced to the championship bracket, with the top two-seeded teams earning first-elimination-round byes.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a different format this year, but it gives them a lot more matches,鈥� Chargers coach Amy Badger said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 definitely, obviously, a team thing. We鈥檙e all in it together.鈥�

For the Bulldogs, the final matches were a two-day gauntlet. First, they eliminated 22-time defending Class 4A champ sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Academy on Friday, before coming back Saturday to upend nemesis and six-time defending 5A state champ La Cueva 4-3, roaring from behind in all three doubles matches.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more proud, and I told them (Friday) after our win at Academy, and I feel the same way today,鈥� Rocco said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been coaching youth sports for a long time, and I鈥檝e never been more proud of a team then I鈥檝e been these past two days.鈥�

It was a gutsy performance throughout the week as sa国际传媒官网网页入口 High relied on its depth, using all 10 varsity members. What鈥檚 more, No. 1 Mitchell Rocca, the coach鈥檚 son, tweaked his leg in his singles match against the Bears鈥� Ketan Garg.

Still, Mitchell Rocca was able to stand alongside partner Julian Olson in the final and deciding doubles match against Garg and Noah Sasser.

鈥淜etan played incredible that match,鈥� the younger Rocca said of his singles match. 鈥淭here was nothing I could do, but doubles with Jules as my partner, Julian. I mean, we鈥檝e never lost and I just knew that we would always have a chance, even if I couldn鈥檛 move. So I鈥檓 glad Julian carried me through that one.鈥�

While the two were mobbed when they clinched the winning point of the three-set match, it was the No. 2 doubles match that proved crucial as Christian Olson and Cooper LeBlanc pulled out a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win over David Elliott and Ronin Reznik moments before to get the match even.

鈥淛ust fight from all of our teammates,鈥� Olson said in explaining the Bulldogs鈥� attitude. 鈥淟ike with my doubles partner Cooper, we came back. We were down in both doubles matches. We came back. Pulled it out. So we just fight. From everybody playing, coaching, from the coaches. It was just all of it brought together, brought us to the finish line.鈥�

For the girls, the Chargers got a standout effort from precocious eighth-grader Sadye Bruce, who swept her match at No. 1 singles, losing just one game in each set.

鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 definitely a big confidence boost for our entire team towards districts and state,鈥� she said.

Although the final score shows the Chargers winning handily, the match was tighter than it appeared, Badger said.

鈥淭he match was very close and the tides were turning back and forth,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd Sandia has got a great group of girls. And it just was always a wonderful competition for us. We really have a lot of respect for them and what the coaches have been doing there.鈥�