KNIGHTS TENNIS FINISHES 3RD IN STATE
After winning the State Championship in Class 1, (their actual enrollment-based class) the team was bumped up to Class 2 in 2022 and faced a final four of three undefeated teams with enrollments up to 1200 students. Now in Class 2 Barstow boys tennis team made their second consecutive trip to the Final Four a good one, finishing the season with a statement win, 5-0 over 21-1 Branson High school.
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The Knights jumped on the Branson Pirates early with another strong performance in the opening doubles matches. At #1 doubles senior Richey King and junior George Colombo put on a dominating performance of first serves and swarming netplay for an 8-0 victory.
At #2 doubles, freshman. Bobby King and sophomore Sunny Gandhari kept their opponents pinned at the baseline with big returns and covered the net for quick points for an 8-1 win. And at #3 doubles sophomore Dylan Markey and junior Aaram Salam did much the same with one of their best outings of the year and rolled to an 8-3 win.
With the opening statement made in doubles play the Knights needed only two wins to secure the third-place team trophy. Richey King put the cherry on top of his impressive Barstow career with smothering approach shots and finishing volleys in a 20-minute 6-0, 6-0 performance. Richey finishes his career as one of Barstow's very best among names like Fletcher Scott, Bradley Frye, and brother Brian King.
The Knights needed only one more single to win to lock up 3rd place. This finish was produced by the outstanding match by Sunny Gandhari. Sunny mixed his steady defensive game with impressive passing shots to finish off the last Pirate, 6-3, 6-0.
In other matches that were in progress when the team count ended, Bobby King had won the first set against a strong opponent, 6-1, and was ON SERVE 4-5 in the second set. Aaram Salam had lost the first set 2-6 but was coming back in the second set with a 3-2 lead. And freshman Liam Groden opened with his strongest singles performances of the season rolling his opponent at #5 6-0 in the first set and holding a 4-3 lead in the second.
