Despite having their bus break down the day the team left for provincials, the Oak Bay High tennis team rode on, placing third on the Island and fifth in B.C.
The 19-member team competed against seven other teams in the provincial tennis championships at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver May 23 to 26.
“It was definitely a fun time,” coach Piers Zdan said. “All of the kids definitely played their hearts out and I’m really proud of them for that.”
Zdan credits a game against Penticton on Friday (May 25), for moving the team forward; a match that he said, took over the entire game.
“It came down to the mixed doubles match … and it ended up going to a tie-break,” he explained, adding that the pair, made up of Adam Hobbs and Minami Hagiwara, won 7-4.
“It was a really heart-stopping moment, but it was really good,” he said.
Other notable players include Marina Gann and Kaitlyn Bettauer (girls doubles), Bond Skillings (boys singles), and team captain Maria Talalaeva.