In the past two weeks, from Sept. 16–25, the Ukiah High Girls Tennis Team has been on a roll. The Wildcats have played great tennis, showing how teamwork and stepping up when it matters most lead to results.
Talking about the team’s match against Healdsburg, Coach Brian Brown said, “Our performance against Healdsburg was solid and a good team win. Our doubles teams came through, especially our number 3 doubles and our number 3 singles player, Mokee James.”
Not everyone wins their individual matches, but every player plays a role in the team’s success.
The match against Healdsburg on Sept. 16 kicked off a winning streak for Ukiah. While the Wildcats struggled in singles, their doubles teams came through in clutch moments. The match came down to the final court, where Everest Zhang and Brynn Watt fought back after losing the first set to win the next two and secure a 4–3 team victory.
Just two days later, on Sept. 18, Ukiah hosted Analy and built on that momentum. Even before the match started, Ukiah held a one-match lead because of a forfeit, and the team made the most of it. From top to bottom, the Wildcats worked together to sweep all six of their matches. Annmarie Brown battled back after dropping her first set to win in three, while doubles partners Addison Steinbuck and Emilia Toste won a long, tough match to help seal the day.
Coach Brown said afterward, “Thursday was another good team win. We won all our matches, and it’s good to see everybody get a victory in that one.”
The Wildcats kept their confidence high heading into the next week. On Sept. 23, they traveled to Santa Rosa High School and played some of their best tennis of the season, winning every single match for a perfect 7–0 sweep. The trend continued on Sept. 25 when Ukiah faced Montgomery High. Once again, every player earned a win, keeping the team’s undefeated streak alive.
After four straight victories, Coach Brown said he feels great about the team’s direction. “Our future is solid,” he said. “We should finish the season well and be strong again next year.”
The season isn’t over yet, but the Wildcats currently sit in third place in their division with a solid 7–2 record. With teamwork, focus, and determination, the Ukiah High Girls Tennis Team is proving they’re one of the toughest squads in the North Bay.
Looking ahead, Ukiah will face Cardinal Newman on Tuesday, October 7, followed by Rancho Cotate on Thursday, October 9. Both matches will test the Wildcats’ momentum as they fight to close out their season strong.
Kellen Brown
Kellen Brown is a senior at Ukiah High School, who was born and raised in Ukiah. Kellen has a limited background in journalism and publishing, but has a strong background in writing, which might be beneficial to journalism. Kellen is a level-headed, easy-going, and adaptable person who tends to keep to himself. As for things that Kellen enjoys doing, there is quite a variety due to the amazing personalities that he has in his family. Kellen could be found fishing, shopping, cooking, playing tennis, watching anime, or playing video games within the same week.