It’s an understatement to say that Aaron Gallardo and Ashlynn Bell have been great in mixed doubles matches for Orestimba High School’s tennis team. Throughout this season, their play has been the main determinant in some of the Warriors’ close wins.

At the Trans Valley League (TVL) Championship series on Saturday, they proved themselves as one of the best, if not the best, mixed doubles duos in the TVL. As the third seed, Gallardo and Bell surged past the top two seeds in Escalon and Ripon Christian High Schools to be crowned TVL champions in mixed doubles.

Head coach Nolan Osborn praised the duo for finding ways to complement their respective playstyles and their recent stretch of play, where they’ve won five straight doubles matches before Saturday.

“Ever since we plugged them in as a duo, they’ve pretty much really stepped their game up, especially this latter half of the season,” Osborn said. “Overall, [I’m] just impressed to say the least.”  

Gallardo and Bell got off to a great start in the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles tournament, defeating the second-seeded Escalon in two sets, 6-3, 6-3.

While it seemed that Orestimba was in control of this match, that was not the case early on. Following a miscue from Bell in the first set, Osborn, who was standing behind the tennis court fence, approached her message. That message was being confident, even when nothing was working for her.

“Sometimes she (Bell) kinda beats herself up after making mistakes. She’s a beginner and at the end of the day, mistakes are going to happen,” Osborn said. “I didn’t want her to dwell on any mistakes, just go out there and be confident because during practice, she is stellar.”

Osborn’s words of encouragement seemed to work for Bell, who dominated in the sets later in the afternoon.

After winning against a top two seeded team, Gallardo and Bell had another tall task ahead in Ripon Christian. Ripon Christian had beaten Hughson High School to advance to the tournament’s final round.

While Ripon Christian displayed a more relentless effort than Escalon, Orestimba outplayed them to win the match and tournament in two sets, 6-2, 7-5.

Ernesto Chavez and Kevin Rodriguez began the boys’ doubles for Orestimba, but lost their match to Hughson in two sets, 6-2, 6-4. Hughson later lost to Ripon High School, who went on to win the first boys’ doubles tournament.

Orestimba was initially set to participate in another boys' doubles tournament, but that match was forfeited as Ripon was granted the win. 

Orestimba lost its girls’ doubles match against Escalon in two sets, 6-1, 6-2.

While it’s not the result that the Warriors had in mind, they have an opportunity to bounce back as they continue their run in the TVL Championship series, as they will travel to Ripon on Tuesday for the doubles matches. Orestimba’s roster will consist of six teams for the doubles match, two for boys’, girls’ and mixed doubles.

The matches will be held at Ripon Community Tennis Courts.

Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist in Stanislaus County