Ladies Tennis season ends with round 2 CIF Playoff loss to Granite Hills, 11-7

Team meets their match and earns the respect of their opponents by playing well in the cold

Tyler Morales, Pepper Bough Editor|November 4, 2022

Tyler Morales

Shantel Marentes plays in the wind and cold at Granite Hills High School as part of round two of the CIF playoffs on Nov. 3, 2022.

Apple Valley, CA—After an incredible start to the CIF playoffs with a victory over the San Jacinto Tigers, the Yellowjackets ladies’ tennis team found themselves on the road yesterday for a round two match against the Granite Hills Cougars.

This match was rescheduled for yesterday after a rain storm on Wednesday left the courts wet and unplayable, which required the Yellowjackets to make the two hour trip to Apple Valley twice.

Perhaps it was a loss of momentum due to the rain, or perhaps Granite Hills was just that good, but Colton came home with their season ended, losing the match 11-7.

The round started with both teams nervous, and the players still searching for any advantage to keep their seasons alive.

Despite the 52-degree temperature that felt “freezing” to the Yellowjacket athletes, Colton put up a good fight against the Cougars. Shantel Marentes won 2 of her 3 sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-0), and Kimberly Emilio took 1 of her 3 sets (3-6, 6-7, 6-0). Valeria Pech was called on to substitute for Emily Ramirez, whose fight with shin splints made her a better fit to play doubles. Pech lost in straight sets (0-6, 0-6, 2-6).

Ramirez joined Hazel Macias on for doubles action, and they won 1 of their sets (2-3,3-6,6-3). The teams featuring Jasmin Almazan/Cecilia Flores (0-6, 2-6, 6-2) and Katia Razo/Ashley Galvan (4-6, 6-4, 6-7) each won only a single set.

As the matches went the players upped their game, becoming faster and more focused, a clear sign they got over the weather.

Coach Shroff, Granite Hills’s head coach, complimented Colton’s players. “The Yellowjackets are definitely a tough team.”

The final round is where the team was at their peak and were able to score 3 points of the 6 sets.  However this wasn’t enough surpass granite hills. “I felt that we could have had it but we let the conditions over there get to us since it was really cold and windy,” said Shantel Marentes. 

Colton head coach Omar Menjivar made it clear after the match that it doesn’t matter who loses, but rather who learns. The team wasn’t discouraged in any way, and were proud of their efforts for the season.

While team playoffs are over, individual CIF play is not finished. Shantel Marentes and Emily Ramirez both qualified for CIF as singles. The CIF tournament date is still to be determined.