Jackson junior Richard Oam achieved his goal of placing at the Class 4A state singles tournament.
Oam finished sixth overall, losing 7-6 (3), 6-2 to Bellarmine Prep’s Paul Namkoong in the fourth/sixth place match May 26 at the Vancouver Tennis Complex.
“I was happy,” said Oam, a junior. “I played last year and didn’t place. That was just my main goal this year.”
Playing at last year’s tournament helped prepare Oam.
“I knew going there from experience that all the players were going to be good,” Oam said. “I knew what to expect.”
Oam opened the tournament with a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 6-3 loss to Richland’s Troy Zuroske. The Jackson junior then rebounded with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Battleground’s Tal DeWitt.
“I didn’t take my loss as anything too disappointing,” Oam said. “I just refocused everything.”
Oam then knocked off Garfield’s Avi Allison 6-1, 6-2.
Oam’s teammate, senior Alex Lin, dropped both of his matches. Jackson’s Nick Kang and Brian Bae also fell in their two matches in the doubles tournament.
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