Danielle Jennings is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Moon Valley High School for AZPreps365.com

Swing, hit and run. Sounds like baseball and softball but it’s actually tennis. Moon Valley High School’s boys tennis team season is underway. It kicked off its season playing against Raymond S. Kellis High School in Phoenix on March 3.

Moon Valley played Raymond for the first time in the 2022-2023 season, where Moon Valley lost 0-9. As in the 2023-2024 season, Raymond won against Moon Valley 9-0. Last season, Moon Valley finally won against Raymond 9-0. To start off this season, Moon Valley won again against Raymond, 9-0.

Moon Valley went into its matches with high energy and determination. The players set the tone and stayed focused and confident. 

“I wanted to win,” No. 4 singles player Hunter Avina said. “I came in and wanted to do the best I could and win.”

Moon Valley had a game plan of going into the game and working on their fundamentals as well as strategies.

“They all want to hit the winning shot,” first year boys tennis coach Danh Nguyen said. “That ruins their fundamentals so really working on footwork and control in practice so they can take control in the game.”

The first three matches played were doubles teams. Moon Valley put its foot on the gas right out of the gate, flying past its opponents.

The No. 1 Moon Valley doubles team of Bryan Rivera Cuevas and Aiden Nguyen were the first to cross the finish line, defeating No. 1 Raymond doubles James Doan and Luis Antonio Toscino, 8-0 which got Moon Valley its first win of the day. Raymond was down two players so the No. 2 Raymond doubles team were disqualified and the win went to No. 2 Moon Valley doubles team Hunter Avina and Aiden Bailey. Then the No. 3 Moon Valley doubles team of Johnny Doan and Jazz Jacalan won against No. 3 Raymond doubles team Allen Monzon and Daniel Kripps 8-0.

All Moon Valley singles players crossed the finish line, out racing Raymond till the end. 

Moon Valley No. 1 singles player Bailey won against Raymond No.1 James Doan, 6-0, 6-1; No. 2 Rivera Cuevas won by default; No. 3 Nyguen beat No. 3 Luis Antonio Toscino 6-0, 6-0: No. 4 Avina beat No. 4 Allen Monzon Flores; No. 5 Doan won by default, and No. 6 Jacalan beat No. 6 Daniel Kripps 6-0, 6-0.

“I wanted to give it my all,” Rivera Cuevas said. “The first game shows a lot for the rest of the season.”

When asked how do the players themselves stay focused during a match, Rivera Cuevas said he “moves around.” Avina on the other hand said, “I make sure I always keep my eye on the ball.”

Avina has been on the Moon Valley boys tennis team for three years and said he “knew why he was playing” and stayed focused.

“I knew that I loved playing,” Avina said. “So I just kept playing and kept doing what I love.”

When asked how he helps the players handle pressure in the games, coach Ngyuen said he has them challenge each other at practice.

“We have actual games and competition during practices,” coach Nguyen said. “Challenge each other for their positions so they’re always being pressured and can handle it during the games.”