Rising roster: With new faces, Manteca tennis takes aim at playoff berth

By JADA NAVALES 
The Tower 

Entering the tennis courts, you are met with the energetic and vibrant personalities of the Manteca High’s boys tennis team.

The courts are filled with effort — players dashing left and right, forwards and backwards as they play through sweat and soreness. Adorned with their past accomplishments, the fencing walls create an atmosphere of hard work, pride, and dedication. The boys continue to hone their skills on the court, practicing relentlessly through early mornings and late afternoons. 

With a history of a low turnout, the boys tennis team has struggled to get enough players to complete their team. However, through their grassroots recruiting efforts, the team is complete as they’ve gained their needed players.  

With the help of MaryAnn Tolbert, the coach, the team is complete as she promoted the sport through emails and Manteca High’s eighth grade night, where incoming high school students are exposed to the clubs and activities offered.  

The team eagerly awaits to compete this year with the new players they’ve gained. 

“I look forward to playing with my friends,” said Steven Sarmiento, a player of 3 years.  

His simple statement encapsulates the heart of the sport: the connections they make and the memories they share. 

“I joined because my friends joined,” said Sarmiento when asked why he joined the sport in the first place. “I was like, okay, I’ll join too. And then yeah, I liked it. I fell in love.” 

The love of the sport is what keeps the team going as they dedicate themselves to grueling practices. 

Despite being pushed to their limits, they manage to keep their spark alive and maintain a healthy and positive environment. 

“I think the boys have some really good personalities,” said Tolbert. “They joke around and its sometimes sarcastic.” 

Though small in numbers, Manteca is mighty on the court. The Buffaloes hope to make it to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. 

The boys’ tennis team works like a well-oiled machine, despite the changes they’ve undergone this year. With the new players they’ve gained, they introduce new talent, play styles, and team dynamics.  

They work with what they have and what they have is a team of hardworking boys that come out onto the courts to practice the sport they love.