In the final stretch of the Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games on Saturday, Team South East earned its sole gold medal in tennis, with Clark Cabiluna and Aden Haywood taking first place in the boys doubles event.
It was a success story for Cabiluna and Haywood, who both under the tutelage of Regina coach Ro Euraoba, earned the first gold they’d ever won in tennis against Team Regina. Cabiluna and Haywood defeated their opponents 2-0 (6-2, 6-3).
Their victory was an achievement that both boys took pride in, since they had only begun training to compete in the Games a little less than a month before they played.
“It’s kind of crazy that we only had less than a month of training. We practised five hours a day, and we ended up winning gold. It was pretty incredible,” said Haywood. “The strategy that worked most for us was to stay active on the net, and to follow through on our forehand.
Cabiluna and Hawyood’s game started strong, with plenty of hard hitting in the first set. That style of play kept Team Regina on their toes. Then, into the second set, things started to pick up speed, as Team Regina began to match their pace and play just as intensely.
“The game started with consistency in serves. It was exciting because their opponents are also the kids I work with in Regina,” said Euraoba. “I just mentioned to them, ‘Guys I want you to be active at the net.’ Tennis is always about net play. Be consistent, and if you’re in trouble, make sure to land the ball.”
Euraoba said that into the second set, “the opponents rose up to their level,” and scored more than in the first round. He added that Team South East continued with strong plays in the face of the challenge they were given by the other team, with fast, efficient footwork and the same consistency with which they started the game, galvanizing their lead and victory.
Euraoba emphasized how impressed he was with the power behind the serves and strokes delivered by Team South East, which never wavered throughout the entire game. At several points Haywood and Cabiluna delivered difficult serves from the back of the line, across the court — a feat that he noted as particularly impressive for players who only started playing about a month ago.
“They weren’t lobbing the ball back, or making it easy for their opponents,” said Euraoba.
The boys followed the fundamentals Euraoba had been training them in, over the past month, using what they just learned to follow through on each play, to reach victory.
“We broke them with consistency, and without top spin,” said Euraoba. “But hats off to our opponents, too. They also did a great job.”
In the female singles, Esmee Wasylynka of Regina took the gold, while Emily Blackmore of Moose Jaw with Team South West won the silver medal and Team Prairie Central’s Ceili Bracha of Warman won bronze.
In the male singles, William Preciado of Saskatoon won gold, Regina’s William Lowe won silver and Colby Kirsch of Yorkton, representing Team Parkland Valley, took home the bronze medal.
Team Saskatoon won the gold in female doubles, with Team Regina winning silver and Team South West winning the bronze. In male doubles, Team South East won the gold, Team Regina took home the silver medal, and Team Parkland Valley was awarded bronze.
Team Saskatoon took the gold in mixed doubles, Team Regina won the silver medal and Team Prairie Central went home with the bronze medal.
In the mixed team division, Team Regina took home the gold medal, Team Saskatoon won the silver, and Team Prairie Central was awarded the bronze medal.
