Petaluma tennis team captures SCL crown

The Petaluma High School tennis team clinched the Sonoma County League championship Thursday afternoon, beating Sonoma Valley, 5-2, on Sonoma’s home courts.

The win finished Petaluma’s Trojans with an 11-1 SCL record. Sonoma’s Dragons finished 10-2, with both defeats coming at the hands of Petaluma. Since the league had only five participants this season, each played one another three times. Petaluma and Sonoma split their first two matches, with each winning on their home court.

Thursday, Petaluma won the rubber match.

It wasn’t easy.

The teams split four intensely played singles matches.

At No. 1, Petaluma’s Connor Gors struggled to defeat Sonoma’s Matt McKale in the first set, 7-6 (2), before taking control in the second, 6-1.

Eric Serbiki of Sonoma Valley won No. 2 singles, beating Petaluma’s Zach Leno in the first set, 6-1, but having to struggle to take the second, 7-5.

Adam Volk of Petaluma prevailed at No. 3 singles in a battle with Liam Handron, 6-4, 7-5.

Sonoma’s Elias Sosa-Mercado gave the Dragons a singles split, beating Petaluma’s Vince Bermont, 6-4, 6-1.

That left the match and the league championship up to doubles play and Petaluma’s depth proved decisive.

At No. 1, Alex Dodd and Hayden Dennis stopped Sonoma’s Sam Weisiger and Andrew McKale in a marathon, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 10-5.

Colton Moss and Khalil Tams had one of the easier matches of the competition, defeating Silvan Kopp and Ben Finley, 6-3, 6-3.

Farris Mughannam and Griffin Epstein closed out the team win, coming back to defeat Javier Rico and Corbin Cook, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.