Seniors shine in top tennis dual meet and Caldera hands Summit their first league loss in 21 years

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — History was made Tuesday afternoon as the Caldera Wolf Pack boys tennis team handed the Summit Storm their first Intermountain Conference (IMC) dual meet loss in two decades.

"I mean, it feels great!" said senior Aiden Cruz. "Just knowing the history of Summit — they've won so many times. A win against Summit always feels good. So yeah, it feels good today."

A major reason behind Caldera’s historic win is senior standout and George Fox University commit, Aiden Cruz. Cruz, who placed third at the state championships last year, showcased not only his athletic ability but also his mental toughness on the court.

"I think it's definitely just, you know, it's a lot of mental," Cruz said. "People think of the physical, but it's a lot of your mindset and just, you know, staying up. When you get down on yourself, it's hard to get back up. So just being able to stay strong and know you always have a chance."

With the postseason fast approaching, Cruz has one clear goal: gold.

"In reality, it comes down to winning in the playoffs. That's what matters. So that’s the end goal — win the state title."

Though the Storm fell as a team, their No. 1 doubles pair showed no signs of slowing down. Seniors Nolan Rife and Alex Lindsay delivered a strong performance, keeping their undefeated run alive.

"Just be confident in ourselves, but not cocky," said Lindsay. "Know that we can win. Yeah, we could lose, but we know we’re generally going to be better. So we just have to play good and win."

The duo have the ability to adapt in high-pressure situations.

"We had some close matches this weekend," said Rife. "We lost the first set pretty handily and had close second sets, but we ended up winning both those matches. The biggest reason is because we’re able to adapt. And I think it’s something we do better than a lot of teams in the state."

As seniors, Rife and Lindsay are aiming to finish their final year on a high note.

"I just want to make this year as good as possible," said Rife. "Try to make a run at state and win everything we can. So far, we’re pretty on track to do that."

Caldera faces Bend High on Thursday, while the Storm take on Ridgeview. All eyes will be on the IMC Championships, set for May 16–17, where the race for the title promises to be one of the most exciting in years.