Highland tennis wins undefeated league title

QUARTZ HILL — The Highland girls tennis team defeated a short-handed Littlerock 18-0 to finish the regular season as the undefeated Golden League champions.

It is the first girls tennis title in school history for the Bulldogs, who became the first team to defeat Quartz Hill in a league match not once, but twice, in 33 years.

The Lobos fielded just two singles players and one doubles team, forfeiting a total of nine matches.

Nicole Padilla and Isabella Bravo finished undefeated in regular league matches and were the top two players in the league at the Golden League CIF Qualifying Tournament on Saturday.

The two didn’t play singles on Thursday as Padilla teamed up with Annalyn Orlanda for a 6-0 win and Bravo and Melody Melendez also won a 6-0 set. Evelyn Reyes, who also normally plays singles, teamed up with Alondra Jimenez for a 6-0 victory. All three teams benefitted from two forfeit victories.

Ariana Valiente won two 6-0 sets at No. 1 singles for the Bulldogs, while Gisselle Reyes and Xiomara Xilonzochilt also won two 6-0 sets apiece at No. 2 and 3 singles, respectively. All three players benefitted from one forfeit.

Highland will go into the playoffs next week as the No. 1 seed in the league for the first time. The playoff brackets will be announced on Monday.

Palmdale 9 (83), Knight 9 (70)

LANCASTER — The Palmdale and Knight girls tennis teams played one of the closest matches of the entire Golden League season at Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park to close the season on Thursday.

The two teams tied 9-9, but the Falcons won the tiebreaker on points 83-70.

“The girls rushed the court when we won the match after a tiebreaker,” Palmdale coach Mike Bauman said.

With the win, the Falcons finished in fourth place for the final playoff spot. Knight finished in fifth place in league.

Palmdale won five singles sets and four doubles sets, while Knight won the opposite with four singles and five doubles sets.

Doubles was close all around with two tiebreakers and two 7-5 sets.

Palmdale’s No. 1 doubles team of Claudia Madrigal and Natalie Jones swept 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 for the only sweep in the match.

Esmeralda Ochoa and Xitlaly Vazquez won a 6-1 set and lost a close tiebreaker at No. 3 doubles for the Falcons.

Knight’s No. 2 doubles team of Ashly Dimas and Edith Baladez won two sets, 7-5, 6-3, and lost a tiebreaker to Madrigal and Jones.

The No. 3 doubles team of Caroline Given and Faith Colon also won two sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) for the Hawks.

Knight’s No. 1 team of Jhazel Garcia and Aliyah Jones won a 7-5 set.

Sarahi Castro won two sets, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 1 singles for the Falcons, while Genesis Porras also won two sets, 6-0, 6-2, and Aleyssa Coleman won a 6-0 set.

Knight’s Marie Llosa won two sets, 6-4, 6-0, while Kalkidan Samuel also picked up two victories, 6-2, 6-0.

The Falcons will begin the playoffs next week as the brackets are announced on Monday.

Quartz Hill 10, Lancaster 8

QUARTZ HILL — The Quartz Hill and Lancaster girls played a close match for second place in the Golden League on the final day of the regular season on Thursday.

But it was the Royals who pulled out the 10-8 victory and finished in second place, while the Eagles stayed in third place.

Quartz Hill freshman No. 1 singles player Chela Nilo swept her sets, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, while No. 2 Kate McPherson won two sets, 6-1, 6-0, and No. 3 Lei Brillantes picked up a 6-3 victory.

Golden League champions Skylar Antoniewicz and Elizabeth Lewelling also picked up a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 sweep at No. 1 doubles for the Royals. The duo finished league play undefeated.

Quartz Hill’s Emilie Heckenliable and Jocelyn Ortega won a 6-4 set and lost two other very close sets at No. 2 doubles.

The Royals were shorthanded because of COVID protocols and scheduling conflicts, which forced them to default on two doubles matches.

Lancaster fought for some close victories in doubles to help keep the score close.

“Very proud of these girls,” Lancaster coach David Garcia said of his team.

Lancaster’s No. 2 doubles team of Kaelin Vasquez and Arianett Avina won two sets, 7-5, 6-0 (def.), while the No. 1 team of Katie Secaida and Emily Lopez were leading 4-1 against Quartz Hill’s No. 3 team before winning by default.

No. 3 Lucia Perez and Stephanie Lara won two sets, 7-6, 6-0.

Genesis Vasquez won two sets, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles for the Eagles, while Precious Olowosagba picked up a 6-2 victory.

Both teams will participate in the playoffs next week. The brackets will be released on Monday.