Brazells cap careers at The Meadows with second doubles title

Twin sisters Amanda Brazell and Taler Brazell experienced the feeling of winning a state team tennis title with The Meadows two years ago.

Last year, they captured a state doubles title.

And on their last day of high school tennis Saturday, the Mustangs seniors put everything together.

A day after helping The Meadows to the Division I-A girls team title, the Brazells breezed to another doubles crown, routing South Tahoe's Cassandra Marin and Emily Rives 6-0, 6-0 in the final at Reno Tennis Center.

"It really is a storybook ending," Amanda Brazell said. "We've been working hard toward this since our freshman year. We're so happy right now."

There was never much of a doubt the sisters would win. They lost only one game in 10 sets of the Southern Region tournament and, after advancing by forfeit Friday, won their semifinal, 6-0, 6-0.

"This is definitely what we were picturing," Taler Brazell said. "Now all of our hard work and the ups and downs have really paid off. It's a great feeling. It's sweet, but it's also a little bittersweet because this is the last time we will play high school tennis together."

The Brazells weren't the only ones to live out a dream Saturday.

Hannah Tatlock got a measure of revenge and a bit of history.

The Mojave senior avenged her loss in the Southern Region final by downing The Meadows' Erika Mauban 6-3, 6-2 in the girls singles final.

Tatlock is the first Mojave tennis player ever to win a state title.

"It feels so great," she said. "I really haven't won many tournaments, and I don't think my school has ever sent anyone to state. To be able to represent my school is amazing."

Tatlock just missed capturing the Southern Region title Monday, falling to Mauban 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 in a match that lasted more than three hours.

"I was more aggressive," Tatlock said. "Whenever I could, I hit heavy serves, and I tried to come in."

BOYS

Deric Pang and Chaitanya Ingle weren't the area's most cohesive doubles team before the start of the Southern Region tournament, but it didn't take long for the Clark duo to jell.

Pang and Ingle, who didn't play doubles together for most of the season, won the boys title Saturday. The two defeated Truckee's Grayson Forsberg and Aaron Pado, 7-6 (6), 6-0.

"After we got through a few matches, we really learned how to play together," Pang said. "We trusted each other."

Pang, a junior, and Ingle, a sophomore, lost only one game in the region tournament. They were 6-1, 6-0 winners in Friday's state quarterfinal before posting a 6-1, 6-2 win over Truckee's Zach Conradson and Aaron Deteer in the semifinals Saturday morning.

"For my second year playing high school tennis, it feels incredible," Ingle said.

They're the first Clark boys doubles team to win a state title since Doran Breese and Bob Stirming in 1980.

While Pang and Ingle breezed, The Meadows' Mario Gamboa was battling back for a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over teammate Evan Roth in the boys singles final.

"It was so difficult to play him. He's a great captain and a great friend," said Gamboa, who retired with an injury against Roth in the Southern Region final Monday. "We played everything hard, and I just got a little lucky, I think."

Gamboa, a junior exchange student from Mexico, couldn't finish Monday's match because of leg cramps and admitted after the match Saturday that he was tired again but persevered to beat the Mustang senior.

"My mentality was better today," Gamboa said. "I was more convinced I could win today."