OROSI – With barely three weeks left to go in the regular season, the Orosi boys tennis team is on the verge of flying towards an inevitable postseason berth, and possibly more. The Cardinals’ success is driven by the connection between two childhood friends, who have proven to be a handful for the competition.
When Erick Corado and Giancarlo Ortega step on the court, victories usually follow them. The senior doubles teammates have become a force to be reckoned with in the Central Section; and when they win, the Cardinals truly have something to chirp about.
Corado and Ortega have known each other since the second grade; but they didn’t pick up tennis rackets until middle school. Corado admits to spreading the flames of tennis enjoyment to his childhood friend. And from that moment, upon their first serves, they both got hooked.
“I think it’s a funny story, we were in middle school, and they said, ‘there’s tennis’, so I joined and I thought it was pretty cool,” said Corado. “We just started going out together, and got more into it.”
There’s a certain elegance, yet power, in Corado and Ortega’s game. Both players can be aggressive when needed; but they can also size up the competition and be prepared for the game to come to them.
“They meld together, they can bring it or dish it,” said Orosi head coach Nick Cabutatan.
Cabutatan has watched Corado and Ortega develop since they first picked up the rackets. According to Cabutatan, both players can excel either in singles or doubles play.
“I can throw them in singles or doubles, and they just know what each other’s doing,” said Cabutatan. “These two have been playing for years now; they grew up best of friends.”
Connection on the court
Corado and Ortega’s doubles play is, in some ways, a direct reflection of the connection they’ve shared since they were kids. Both players know each other so well, they can anticipate certain styles, sensing how the other will play.
“It’s how we connect on the court, we don’t even have to communicate much,” said Corado. “We know what we’re going to do.”
When Corado and Ortega are at the top of their game, the rest of the Cardinals’ team feeds off of them. And as a result, that connection makes Orosi a better team.
“This has been their best season yet, and as far as maturity and working with their other teammates, phenomenal,” said Cabutatan.
Corado and Ortega’s play on the clay has helped inspire the Cardinals to an 8-2 record overall, and an undefeated 3-0 in league play. And both players’ leadership have been essential to the success of the Cardinals.
“This has been their best season yet, and as far as maturity and working with their other teammates, phenomenal,” said Cabutatan. “I can walk away and they’ll make sure that they’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Regardless of the outcome of their season, Corado and Ortega’s connection to the court will remain after their final serves at Orosi. But what will the future bring for the tennis duo?
“It would be nice to play tennis in college; right now, we’re not sure, depending on what the future holds,” said Corado. “The season’s not over yet, so we don’t really know.”
