Taft High’s varsity boys tennis team nearly upset powerhouse Bakersfield Christian in a blustery, Tehachapi-like day but fell just short in a marathon four-hour match, 5-4, Thursday.

“This was a great opportunity that we let slip through our fingers,” Taft coach Jim Carnal said. “BCHS was playing without No. 1 player and defending South Sequoia League champion Erik Buetow because he is a guard on the Eagles basketball team and they are still in the section playoffs. We had our chances and played them tough but it wasn’t quite enough.”

Taft’s JV beat BCHS there, 6-3, to improve to 6-0.

In the varsity match, playing No. 1 for the Eagles was Lukas Grimberg, a 6-foot-4 lefty from Austria and a defending league doubles champion. He beat Enrique Reyes, 6-2, 6-1.

At No. 2 Taft’s Sawyer Maier came up big with a comeback win over Caleb Bloemhof, also a defending league doubles champion. Maier persevered to win, 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 10-7.

Taft’s Rodolfo Magana held on to beat Marcell Tanus in two tiebreaker sets, 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (7-2).

Tyler Nguyen was Taft’s terminator with a quick 6-3, 6-3 win over Max Sun.

Taft’s Brian Rivera won his first set, 6-2, over Peter Wei, but then the tables turned and he lost the next two, 6-1, 10-8.

Taft’s Jose Ramirez was on the wrong side of two tiebreaker sets, losing to Noah Pitcher, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6, (7-5).

Tied 3-3 after singles both teams had to win two of the three doubles matches to win overall. Taft had to play without No. 1 Reyes, who was unavailable for doubles.

At No. 1 doubles, Grimberg and Tanus handled Maier and Ramirez, 6-1, 6-2. As expected at No. 3 doubles, Nguyen and Bryson Ginn easily beat Jimmy Ritchie and Alex Heer, 6-1, 6-0. It came down to No. 2 doubles. Bloemhof and Pitcher were too much for Magana and No. 8 Antonio Guzman, 6-2, 6-1.

It was the season opener for BCHS. Taft dropped to 2-1 overall; 0-1 in the SSL.

In the JV match, Taft’s No. 1, Adrian Luna, beat Cole Gaines, 6-4, 6-4.

Taft’s No. 2, Andrew Rosales beat Issac Tieu, 6-3, 6-4. Taft’s Martin Escobar fell to Ashton Gaines, 6-1, 6-0. Taft’s Rutic Bhakta lost to Jacob Burgoni, 6-4, 6-3. Taft’s German Mejia beat Patrick Mitchell, 6-2, 6-3. Taft’s James Clark lost to Kingston Mitchell, 6-1, 6-1.

Tied 3-3 after singles, the Wildcats swept the doubles. Luna and Rosales beat Gaines and Charlie Quan, 6-3, 6-1. Escobar and Bhakta beat Kingston Mitchell and Teddy Xiong, 6-1, 6-2. And, Yair Ruiz and Wilber Ramirez-Tinoco beat Patrick Mitchell and Hayden Jex, 6-2, 6-1.

Varsity travels to Chavez Tuesday and Wasco Thursday for 3:30 p.m. games.

JV hosts Chavez and Wasco those days, then plays in the Wasco doubles tournament Friday and Saturday. Carnal said Taft and West will be the favorites to win the tournament that also includes: Mira Monte, Coalinga, South, Frontier, Wasco and Independence.