Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

On more than one occasion, the Riverview High boys tennis team’s postseason run came down to a pair of matches the Rams rarely have an opportunity to practice. 

While Rams coach Holly Holton stresses the importance of doubles play and how, more often than not, it can be the deciding match, the Rams aren’t able to practice on a routine basis due to conflicting schedules.

Luckily for Holton, in high school tennis, coaches are able to coach throughout the match, which she believes has helped contribute to the Rams overall success. 

“The boys are great to coach, and they listen and make the correction,” Holton said.

The players’ ability to learn from their mistakes while remaining focused at the same time helped carry the Rams to district and regional titles before eventually posting a Class 4A state runner-up finish April 12, at Sanlando Park, in Altamonte Springs. 

In both the Class 4A-District 8 tournament March 31 and the Class 4A-Region 2 finals April 7, the Rams were able to pull out victories in large part because of their doubles play. 

Riverview’s No. 1 doubles team of Antoine Sanchez and Finn Anderson helped rally the Rams to their seventh-consecutive district crown with a victory versus St. Petersburg High. 

A week later, Riverview’s No. 2 doubles team of Brandon Lup and Gabriel Von Kessel bounced back from a set down to not only win the match but also clinch a berth in the Class 4A state tournament, which began April 11. 

But the Rams’ double play highlight reel wouldn’t end there, because Riverview won both its No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches of its quarterfinal match with Wiregrass Ranch April 11. The Rams won the match 4-0 to advance to the state semifinals versus Orlando Olympia the following day. 

In the state semifinals, Riverview failed to win either of its doubles matches, putting the Rams in a 2-0 hole and the possibility of having to pack their bags and head home earlier than they would’ve liked. 

Although this year’s team is fortunate that the players are talented at singles and doubles and they all enjoy playing both. 

Doubles is faster and can be more aggressive at the net, at times, which Sanchez and Lup prefer, but ultimately it’s all about personal preference and landing in your comfort zone. 

So what happens when one isn’t working? The Rams simply rely on the other. 

With its back against the wall, Riverview won its last four singles matches to top Olympia 4-3 and advance to the championship match against Weston Cypress Bay less than two hours later. 

The end result wasn’t quite what the Rams, who fell 4-0, were hoping for; but when you walk away with six silver medals and a rather large state runner-up trophy to bring back home to Sarasota, it’s nothing short of positive. 

“As a coach, I am fortunate because I feel like I have five well-rounded players that can do great whether it is singles or doubles,” Holton said. “They listen to me, and they are so much fun to work with.”