RedHawks peak at right time, blank Honkers

A day after avenging an early-season loss to Butte View League contender Wheatland, the RedHawks took sole possession of second place in the Sacramento Valley League with a dominating performance against Willows.

Colusa shut out the hobbled Honkers tennis team 9-0 on Wednesday in Colusa.

Mickie Wilson moved back into the No. 1 spot for the RedHawks and beat Kaylen Wilson 6-2, 6-1.

"I was a lot more focused that usual, I don't know why but especially being back in the No. 1 spot is exciting and my strategy was to kind of get her moving," Colusa's Wilson said.

Back-to-back wins against key opponents and steady play from all six players on the squad have the RedHawks excited about their chances in the SVL tournament which begins Friday, she said.

"I think all of the girls have really gotten focused towards the end, especially the seniors, because it's our last year," Wilson said. "It's really exciting because we have been peaking at just the right time because it's coming towards the end."

Colusa beat Willows 7-2 earlier this year but the Honkers were short-handed in that match. This time around No. 2 singles player Kylie Gammon was back on the court but wasn't at full strength.

Gammon returned to the court for the crucial match for the first time since having an appendectomy several weeks ago, but was limited by lingering soreness from the surgery.

Colusa's Coral Imhoff won the first set 6-1 and was leading 5-0 before Gammon retired from the match.

"We had a tough time going in knowing that we were just going to get our No. 2 back and basically she was going to give us as much as she had," Willows coach Don Byrd said. "You could see that every stroke she couldn't stretch her arm out to hit a forehand or backhand, but I think we're still better off having her play than putting somebody else up in that position."

Gammon joined Wilson for the doubles match but, despite showing a lot of heart and willpower to stay on the court, couldn't match Wilson and Imhoff in an 8-2 loss.

"Before she was injured we'd only lost one doubles match and what we saw here today was nothing in comparison to how they can play," Byrd said.

The rest of the Honkers team found it tough going against Colusa as well. Byrd pointed to Wilson's match on the top court, Bisma Khan's match against Madison Forney and Stephanie Carriere's match against Kimberlee Harmon as the three singles matches Willows had to win.

Khan took a 5-2 lead in the first set but Forney came roaring back, winning five straight games, to win the set. Forney took control in the second set for a 7-5, 6-3 win.

Harmon ensured the RedHawks sweep in the No. 6 singles match by winning 6-2, 6-3 against Carriere.

"We didn't do it in singles to even give us a chance," Byrd said.

The loss dropped Willows (8-7, 2-4 SVL) into third place in league but the team will take the next week to get healthy for the league tournament, which begins Friday in Live Oak.

Colusa (9-7, 4-2 SVL) traveled to Mercy High Thursday and earned a 9-0 win to finish the regular season.

CONTACT Kirk Barron at 458-2121 or kbarron@tcnpress.com.