Honkers blank RedHawks on tennis courts

The Willows High tennis team was too strong for a much-improved Colusa squad on Tuesday in Colusa and the Honkers got the week started with a 9-0 victory.

With two tough matches later in the week, the Honkers couldn't afford to play sloppily against a young RedHawks team, coach B.J. Boyd said.

"It's a tough week for us, we might be looking past Colusa a little bit because we've got a shot a Live Oak again, who beat us the first time, and then, weather permitting, against Orland Thursday," he said.

However, the Honkers players stayed focused on the task at hand and only lost one set to the RedHawks.

Colusa freshman Jack Zhao gave Hunter Thompson all he could handle on Court 3, but the Honker senior held off Zhao 7-5 in the first set and bounced back from a 1-6 loss in the second with a 6-1 third-set victory.

"This is the second time we've faced Colusa so we're getting the wins like we expected but this is a little tougher," Boyd said.

Willem Poldervaart notched a 6-2, 6-3 victory against freshman Diego Rivas in a match between the teams' No. 5 players.

Rivas showed up to Colusa's second practice without a racquet and no tennis experience, but has improved dramatically as the season matures, coach Amanda Jones said.

"(Rivas) is fast for one thing and he's got excellent ground strokes, he places it really well. He's going to be really good if he keeps up with it," Jones said.

Over on the city courts the top two players on each team faced off and Willows' Michael Lee beat Jordan Wilson (6-1, 6-1), and Steve Vang defeated Colusa's Moises Valdez (6-2, 6-3).

Tou Xiong won the No. 4 singles match 6-0, 6-2 against the RedHawks' Christian Munguia, and Conner Pieper earned a victory on Court 6 against Juan Ruiz 6-0, 6-1.

Wilson and Valdez led early in the premier doubles match but Lee and Vang rallied late for an 8-5 Honkers victory, keeping the shutout intact.

Thompson and Xiong cruised to an 8-1 victory in the No. 2 doubles match, and Poldervaart and Pieper won 8-2 to complete the sweep.

CONTACT Kirk Barron at 458-2121 or kbarron@tcnpress.com.