Central Valley High School’s girls tennis program expects to be more competitive this year thanks to its experience and a change of scenery.

“We have a lot of returners,” said third-year leader Nimrat Chahal, who will coach the Hawks with assistance from Mike Rodriguez and Grant McCormick. “We should definitely be in the mix for a playoff spot.”

Central Valley has a roster size of 30 as just three players were lost to graduation.

“This is the biggest team we’ve had in a while,” Chahal said. “It wouldn’t work if we didn’t have three coaches out there.”

“Coach Rodriguez does a good job recruiting on campus,” he added. “A lot of it is word of mouth. We invite anyone and everyone that wants to play. We had so many people come out. You need players when they’re freshmen and sophomores so you have a few years to develop and get better. We don’t make cuts in tennis. The worst thing you can do is discourage somebody. We try to give them a positive experience.”

Aleena Higle (Jr.), Mikalynne Tapia (Sr.), Aaliyah Jauregui (Jr.), Jasleen Kaur (Sr.), Harkiran Sandhu (Jr.), Valerie Espinoza (So.), Valeria Sanchez Luna (Jr.), Melanie Chavez (Sr.), Roxana Orozco (Jr.), Illyana Vidal (Jr.) and Agam Sandhu (Jr.) are Central Valley’s top returning players.

Lizeth Cazarez Perez (Sr.), Genesis Velazquez Pedraza (So.), Selena Cubillo (Jr.), Natalia Campos (So.), Samantha Sarabia Zavala (So.) and Aaralyn Jauregui (So.) are the Hawks’ top newcomers.

Lliria Lira, Victoria Guajardo and Leslie Vargas graduated in June.

Higle, Tapia, Kaur, Cazarez Perez, Harkiran Sandhu and Aaliyah Jauregui will log playing time at singles.

Espinoza, Sanchez Luna, Velazquez Pedraza, Chavez, Orozco, Vidal, Cubillo, Campos, Sarabia Zavala, Agam Sandhu and Aaralyn Jauregui will contribute at doubles.

Central Valley compiled a 4-12 overall record and finished in seventh place with a 2-12 mark during its final season in the Central California Conference a year ago.

The Hawks will battle Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop, Pacheco and Livingston during Western Athletic Conference play this fall.

Previous members of the CCC and Trans Valley League, Central Valley and Livingston moved to the WAC this fall as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.

Los Banos and Mountain House relocated from the WAC to the CCC and Valley Oak League, respectively.

“That changes everything,” Chahal said. “Los Banos has been good for forever. Mountain House is a powerhouse. With those two teams gone, it’s pretty wide open. We should be one of the top three teams competing for a playoff spot.”

Central Valley qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs in 2018, 2017, 2015 and 2014.

The Hawks experienced their last winning season in 2021. Central Valley finished 8-4 and second overall in the WAC South Division standings. The Hawks moved from the CCC to the WAC that year for travel and public health reasons related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ceres High will not field a girls tennis team this fall.

The Hawks are looking forward to battling the crosstown-rival Bulldogs in the near future.

“Playing against Ceres always meant something,” Chahal said. “I can’t believe they don’t have a team. Finding a coach isn’t an easy thing. I hope they find one and we can play again. I’m sure it will happen. The rivalry will be renewed.”