Thomas Jefferson Middle School eighth grader Benji Molina capped a 13-1 season with a Central Valley Athletic League championship last week.
Molina finished the year 13-1 with his only loss coming by tiebreaker. Molina closed the year by beating the same Sanger player he lost to in the championship match, 8-6.
Molina took an early 7-3 lead in the championship match but hurt his foot. He held on for the win to capture the title.
“He sprained his foot or something and was barely able to walk,” Molina’s father Mike said. “I didn’t think he would have been able to continue the match if the Sanger kid tied it up in the last round. Thankfully, he toughed it out and made it through.”
Molina, the second seed, won four straight matches at Fresno City College to win the championship. Last year, Molina placed second in the league against all eighth graders.
Mike said that this is either the first or second CVAL boys tennis individual championship for Thomas Jefferson.