Nine games into the season, the Diamond Bar High School boys tennis team is set to become the 2017 Palomares League Co-Champion. With a win yesterday, the boys will have surpassed last year’s 8-2 record and second place in league.

The Brahmas started the league season hot with an eight-game win streak, dominating opponents by an average of 11.5 points a game and even shutting out South Hills twice, 18-0. The success of the Brahmas came not from individual singles or doubles players, but through the teamwork of every player, specifically the upperclassmen, according to head coach Carl Flint.

“We’re a team, and one person doesn’t make a team. It’s the depth of the team that allows us to do so well. Even the seniors and juniors who are not starters, they’re ready to play at any moment, and I really admire their reserve and the spirit of our juniors and seniors and what our upperclassmen bring to our team,” Flint said.

This is Flint’s second year as head coach after replacing former DBHS art teacher Dave Hamels last season.

“Coach Flint is laid back, but he knows what to do at the right time. He’s been having us do some productive drills and honestly, letting us hit is the best way for us to improve,” senior Vinay Bhupatiraju said.

In addition to drills, Flint worked the boys to peak shape, conditioning them with three-mile runs and different stretches.

The upperclassmen have been one of the team’s strongest areas as senior Neil Tengbumroong has been dominating as the No.1 singles player while juniors Nicholas Wong and Eric Peng, and Bhupatiraju have been a part of the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles team.

Bhupatiraju and Peng were crucial in securing a piece of the league title when the team defeated rivals Claremont in a 10-8 win. The Brahmas were up 9-8, but the pair were down in a crucial match that would have sent the game to a tiebreaker, which DB would have lost. But, Peng and Bhupatiraju were able to mount a comeback and secure the victory.

However, the streak ended against Claremont on Thursday in an 11-7 loss. With the win, the Wolfpack tied with the Brahmas for the league title.

Although the boys are set to win their first Palomares League Title with a win on Tuesday against Bonita, they are far from satisfied. With playoffs just on the horizon, the Brahmas are preparing themselves for not just the physical toll of the game, but also the mental aspect.

“We’ve done a good job thus far, but obviously we’re going to face tougher teams. We definitely need to work on our mental game. We have hold onto our leads and close out games because every game counts when it comes down to tiebreakers,” Bhupatiraju said.

Following their final league match on Tuesday, the Brahmas will participate in the annual Ojai Tournament this weekend and Preliminaries for League Finals on May 2. The Brahmas will play in League Finals just two days later.