The Cate boys tennis team won the CIF-SS Division 3 title in a wild and crazy finish Friday at the Claremont Tennis Club.
The Rams and Tesoro tied 9-9 in sets and went to the tiebreaker of total games won.
Cate’s No. 1 doubles team of Ethan Bloom and Will Vanica won the final set of the match, 6-2 over Tesoro’s No. 3, to knot score at 9-9 and give the Rams a 79-77 advantage in games to claim the championship.
The Cate players started celebrating after Bloom and Vanica’s win.
But the celebration came to a stunning halt as CIF officials reviewed a conduct penalty that was assessed to Tesoro during the final set. The officials found there was a scoring deduction error, determining Tesoro’s penalty should have resulted in the loss of one point and not one game.
The officials reset the score to 5-3, 15-love and sent the teams back on the court to complete the set.
This set up a next-game wins scenario for the Rams. Bloom/Vanica prevailed over Ethan Huang and Aryan Nagpal, 6-3.
“Bloom and Vanica demonstrated steely resolve, wasting no time putting away their opponents in a pressure-packed situation,” said Cate Athletic Director Wade Ransom.
With the final set of the day going in the Rams’ favor, it gave them a 79-78 tiebreaker victory.
This time, the team held off on its celebration until the tournament directors checked and rechecked the math and declared Cate the champion.
The title is Cate’s fourth in boys tennis and first since their win over Thacher in the 2007 Division 5 final.
The Rams went 12-0 in their first season under coach Lance Kronberg
“This had to be one of the closest and craziest dual team tennis matches ever played,” said Kronberg. “As a player, and later as a coach, I have been involved in a lot of matches, many very close. But this one, from the first point to the last, was never anything but tied. Everyone from both teams battled.
“Both teams had big wins and tough losses.”
Jengus Ercil went 3-0 in singles for the Rams, including a key 6-2 win in the third round.
No. 2 Felipe Blanco won a singles set, and No. 3 player Graham Klinger picked up an essential game against Tesoro’s No. 2.
On the doubles side, Nate Keshen/ Elias Lieser picked a set victory and added four games in one of their losses. Nate Newlove/Harry Su won their third-round set 6-1 to set up the vital finish for Cate’s No. 1 doubles pair.
Match Recap
Singles
Jengus Ercil 3-0
Felipe Blanco 1-2
Graham Klinger 0-3
Doubles
Ethan Bloom/Will Vanica 2-1
Nate Newlove/ Harry Su 2-1
Nate Keshen/ Elias Lieser 1-2