Braden River boys tennis earns first state tourney berth since 2009

EAST MANATEE -- With each point he won, the repeated phrase gained more and more significance until it reached a crescendo.

Andale. Andale. Andale!

"It's Spanish for, 'Let's go. C'mon,'" Braden River junior Xavier Muzquiz said. "Encouraging word. It has a lot of different meanings."

Muzquiz, fueled by the phrase and by flipping a switch when he took his hat off midway through the second set of his No. 4 singles match, clinched a Class 3A Region 5 title for the Pirates. He defeated Tampa Freedom's Zach Snow in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, to propel Braden River to a 4-1 victory.

As a result, the Braden River boys tennis team is heading to next week's Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state tournament at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.

It's the first time the program has reached

the state tourney since 2009.

"It's huge for our school and it's huge these kids," second-year Braden River head coach James Straub said. "They fought hard all year long and they never gave up. They brought their, 'A,' game (Thursday) and they made me proud."

The team earned victories in four of the five singles matches. Freshman David Ojeda, who won by default in Tuesday's regional first round against Tampa King, dispatched Freedom's Jorge Oropeza in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0, at the No. 1 position.

Braden River also received victories from Race Arande (No. 2), Sebastian Bucarion (No. 3) and Muzquiz. Bucarion, another freshman, defeated Samvit Iyer in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Arande, a junior, had a tougher match with Dean LaGattuta. He prevailed 4-6, 6-2, 10-3.

"I saw he was tired and his ankle was hurting, so I just kept attacking his movement," Arande said.

Doubles weren't played because the Pirates clinched the match during singles play. And that last victory came from Muzquiz, who took his multicolored hat off during the second set to find some motivation moving forward.

"It flipped a switch in a way," Muzquiz said. "It just reminded me that it's a simple game. ... You just need something to remind yourself, 'Hey, get back into it.' And for me, it's a lot of visual things."

The maneuver set Muzquiz (11-1) on the path toward completing a two-year journey under Straub. Muzquiz credited Straub for turning around a program, which he said wasn't good during his freshman year, into a state contender in a short time.

But both player and coach had a worrisome moment just before the winning point. Snow delivered a second serve that grazed the net and floated back toward the middle of the court for a let serve, but Muzquiz's momentum had shifted so quickly his knee buckled.

"I saw him move funny," Straub said. "So I was worried about the knee and the back, and I thought, 'Oh no.' Because he thought that the ball wasn't going to make it in and then all of a sudden it bounces in."

Muzquiz, though, said the knee was fine shortly after completing the victory.

And aiding in that conquest is his motivational Spanish phrase.

It comes from his dad, a tennis coach in Sarasota that is from Tijuana, Mexico.

"He has a bunch of sayings, too, that a lot of people remember him for," Muzquiz said. "And I want mine to be andale."

Also competing Thursday for the Pirates was No. 5 singles player Colson Engelberger, who lost to Freedom's Jared Clay in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.

Jason Dill, sports reporter, can be reached at 745-7017. Follow him on Twitter @Jason__Dill and like his Facebook page at Jason Dill Bradenton Herald.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Braden River boys tennis earns first state tourney berth since 2009 ."