John McReynolds/Sports Writer | Posted: Wednesday, November 2, 2005 12:00 am
Melissa Minjarez and Patcharie Sinkaset.
The names of those two former Cabrillo High School tennis aces mean nothing to the current Cabrillo Conquistadores.
Lisa Schutz was a kindergartener at La Honda School when Minjarez and Sinkaset played, Heidi Havlicek was in Merced, Ellen Monkemeier in Illinois.
Minjarez and Sinkaset were on Cabrillo/s last regular season Los Padres League girls tennis champions 7 in the fall of 1993.
The last 7 until Tuesday.
The Conqs of 2005 defeated Nipomo 11-7 in their LPL final Tuesday afternoon to nab their first girls tennis championship since the 1993 team.
Technically speaking, with their 11-3 record, the Conqs share the title four ways with St. Joseph, Santa Ynez and Morro Bay.
But who cares, said ace Ellen Monkemeier.
“Sure you/d like to say we won it outright, but after losing so much just sharing it is plenty,C said the four-year varsity veteran.
“I remember talking about it when we were freshmen. On van rides, the seniors would tell us we were so lucky. >By the time you/re seniors you guys will be strong,/ they said.C
In 2001, the year before Monkemeier and most of today/s team arrived, the squad did not win a match. Then each year they improved7 to 4-8, then 10-2, 10-2 and 11-3.
This season they hit a roller coaster that toyed with their emotions.
The Conqs ended the first half at 7-1 with only a narrow loss to St. Joseph to mar their record. A title appeared certain.
Oct. 19 was the Knights/ and Conqs/ rematch7 but St. Joseph won again 10-8.
To make matters worse Cabrillo fell two days later to Morro Bay, a team they had spanked when first they met.
But out of the ashes the Conquistadores rose. They dealt defending champion Santa Ynez a defeat for an astonishing second time.
Then last week Morro Bay returned the favor they had seemingly stolen by upsetting St. Joseph and throwing the league race into the four-way deadlock.
“I had my doubts,C admitted Cabrillo coach Dan Troup after his ritual cold water shower. “There were times when I thought nobody would beat St. Joseph. Then I thought Santa Ynez.
“We squandered a chance, but the other teams squandered chances, too. The ladies took advantage.C
Against Nipomo, Lisa Schutz swept 6-4, 6-0 , 6-2 as did the doubles team of Lauren Vance/Heidi Havlicek 6-3, 7-5, 6-0.
Monkemeier took two, 6-2 and 6-1. Elysha McLain/Madalyn Doudna did the same 7-6 (7-5) and 6-3. Troup subbed Ashley Brady/Summer Miller into the match to face Nipomo/s No. 1 doubles team and the two underclassmen came up with a 6-3 victory.
And how would today/s Conquistadores do against the champs of 1993?
“I was JV coach then,C said Troup. “I/d put this team against that one.C
Morro Bay 12, Lompoc 6
On the Pine Street courts, the Braves/ hearts were downcast after the tragic accident Monday that claimed the lives of two of their classmates.
“We played for the boys,C said Lompoc coach Loretta Jensen. “All things considered we held it together as well as we could.C
Jani Carmona won two of three including a 6-2 victory over Morro Bay/s No. 2 Chelsea Dauer and Courtney Stumpo (6-0), Crystal Hernandez/Amanda Chastain (6-1), Tieanna Drouillard/Janee Murray 7-6 [7-3] and Kayla Cunningham/Annabel Zaragoza (6-4) won one apiece.
“We had a tough match with Lompoc, but a lot it was they had that terrible tragedy,C said Pirates coach Dennis Bailey. “It set a sad tone for the whole match.C
The Braves/ season ends at 2-12, 3-15 overall, a small but noteworthy step up over last year/s 0-18.
It was the last prep tennis match for Hernandez and Sami Razon.
The victory assured Morro Bay of a share of the LPL title.
Santa Ynez 14, Santa Maria 4
At the Minami Center in Santa Maria, The Santa Ynez Pirates staked their claim to their part of the Los Padres League championship with a 14-4 victory over the Santa Maria Saints.
St. Joseph 15, Pioneer Valley 3
At St. Joseph High, the St. Joseph Knights closed out the regular season with a 15-3 victory over the Pioneer Valley Panthers 7 rounding out the four-way tie for first in the LPL.
Freshman sensation Ane McPike swept all three of her sets, 6-0, for the Knights.
LPL volleyball
Cabrillo 3, Lompoc 1
At Cabrillo, in a match without spark, the Conquistadores downed the grieving Braves 25-17, 25-16, 26-24.
“Everybody was really down, both teams,C said Cabrillo coach Sue Slavens. “It was just gloomy.C
Mariam Malae led Cabrillo with 17 digs, 15 assists, four aces and four kills. Jessica Kennedy contributed 22 digs and five kills, Kara Avillanoza five kills and four digs, and Jessica Shekell 15 digs.
For Lompoc, Katelyn Lynch notched nine kills, Laura Schelvis racked up10 assists, and Alyssa Ray and Sabrina Chill each had seven digs.
“We had some unforced errors, but everyone there saw a degree of integrity and composure in spite of the emotional challenges our school faced,C said Lompoc coach Don Savella. “Our overarching goals are twofold7 one is to do our best, and the other is to do what/s right. And we did.C
The victory improves Cabrillo/s record to 5-8 and drops Lompoc to 0-13.
Cabrillo hosts Nipomo and Lompoc hosts Morro Bay on Thursday in the league finales.
Sports writer John McReynolds can be reached at 737-1055, or jmcreynolds@lompocrecord.com
November 2, 2005