With the Trans Valley League (TVL) tennis championship ahead, Orestimba High School’s tennis team is clicking at the right time.

The Warriors concluded its regular season this week by winning two of its last four matches. Orestimba has now won four of its last six matches, dating back to last Thursday’s road doubleheader against Sonora High School.

One of the biggest improvements head coach Nolan Osborn noticed from the team is its improved confidence, mentioning Orestimba’s performance was rough earlier in the season.

“At the start it was rough after tryouts, students missing balls, students not be able to touch the balls,” Osborn said. “Now they hit with confidence. I think the biggest thing is their confidence has definitely improved.”

Throughout the Orestimba’s four-game stretch, the duo of Ashlynn Bell and Aaron Gallardo went undefeated in all four of their mixed doubles matches played. Bell and Gallardo have been one of Orestimba’s standouts this season. In matches that were tightly contested, the two players played a pivotal in some of the Warriors’ wins this season.

For Bell and Gallardo, communication has been the focal point of their success in mixed doubles matches.

“I think it’s really good to have good network because that’s how you win duos,” Bell said. “We just work together really well in that sense.”

The Warriors ended the regular season on Thursday with a close loss at Hughson High School, 5-4.

After Hughson won both boys’ singles matches, Orestimba’s Mirella Fregoso won the only girls’ singles match against Hughson’s Emma Dubel in two sets, 7-5, 6-2. The other girls’ singles match was cancelled due to a forfeit, which resulted in the match not counting.

When the match shifted towards doubles, Orestimba won three out the five matches.

The two boys’ doubles matches was an intense back-and-forth contest between Orestimba and Hughson as both matches went to a third set.

After losing to first set, Ernesto Chavez and Kevin Rodriguez forced a third set after winning the second set, 6-3. Chavez and Kevin Rodriguez continued their momentum with a win in the third set, 6-1, to take the match.

Nabeel Ali and Jose Rodriguez won their doubles match against Hughson’s Matthew Ruelas and Inel Harrison in three sets. After Orestimba won the opening set, Ruelas and Harrison won the second set, 6-4. However, Ali and Jose Rodriguez triumphed in the third set, 6-1, to win the match.

Hughson sealed the win for the match when they won both of the girls’ doubles matches.

Bell and Gallardo concluded Thursday’s match by winning their mixed doubles match in two sets, 6-3, 7-5.

24 hours before Thursday, Orestimba concluded its final home match of the regular season with a dominant win over Turlock Christian High School, 7-2.

While both teams split their four matches played in boys' and girls’ singles, Orestimba dominated in doubles, winning all five matches.

Chavez and Kevin Rodriguez handled Turlock Christian’s Ethan Nydam and Ty Nelson, 6-0, 6-0.

The boys’ matches between the Warriors’ Ali and Jose Rodriguez and Turlock Christian’s Michael Perez and Christian Perez were a back-and-forth affair. After losing the opening set, Turlock Christian bounced back in the second set with a 6-4 win to force a third set. The Warriors prevailed in the final set, 10-7, to win the match.

Following the conclusion of the boys’ doubles, Orestimba cruised past Turlock Christian in the girls’ doubles.

Giselle Marquez and Fernanda Alvarado won in two sets against Turlock Christian, 6-2, 6-3. Following them was Isabella Pacheco and Alejandra Franco, who also won their doubles match in two sets, 6-1, 6-2.

Bell and Gallardo ended Wednesday’s match with a win in the mixed doubles match. They won in two sets, 6-2, 6-3.

After both teams cancelled their initial match last week, Orestimba hosted Millennium High School and came out with a 6-3 win on Tuesday.

After Orestimba’s Colton Reeves and Chris Alvarado won their respective matches in the boys’ singles, Millennium responded by winning both of its girls’ singles matches.

Orestimba dominated the doubles, winning four out of five matches. One of the Warriors' wins in the doubles were given to them due to a forfeit.

Chavez and Kevin Rodriguez won their boys’ doubles match in two sets against Millennium, 6-1, 6-1.

In the girls’ doubles, Orestimba and Millennium split the two matches. Marquez and Mallory Solano defeated Millennium in two sets, 6-2, 6-0, to give Orestimba the win. Millennium’s win in the girls’ doubles was a tightly contested three set duel.

Bell and Gallardo concluded the match by winning their mixed doubles in two sets, 6-0, 6-1.

Orestimba began the week with a loss on the road against Ripon High School, 5-4.

Ripon had a dominant start to begin Monday’s contest, winning three out of the four singles matches.

Reeves gave Orestimba its only win in the singles matches. He won his match in two sets against Ripon’s Matthew Tharakan, 6-4. 6-3.

Despite Orestimba going on to win three out of the five doubles matches, it wasn’t enough to overcome its early deficit.

Ali and Jose Rodriguez were dominated in their boys’ doubles match against Ripon’s David Rodriguez and Nate Denhart, winning in two sets, 6-1, 6-0.

In their girls’ doubles, Marquez and Solano escaped with a win in a match that was played in three sets. After winning the first set, Orestimba lost the following set, 6-4. They bounced back in a close third set to win the match, 7-6.

Bell and Gallardo ended the match on a positive note for Orestimba by winning their mixed doubles match in two sets, 6-2, 6-3.

With the regular season coming to an end, all eyes are on the TVL Championship series that will begin on Saturday at 8 a.m. at Modesto Junior College.

Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist in Stanislaus County.