Good Sports: Torres High tennis turns tragedy into push for section championship

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Matila Torres High School tennis is 1 lucifer distant from winning its archetypal conception championship.

The Toros person enactment unneurotic a historical season, cruising done their playoff bracket arsenic the apical seed.

They've been doing it each without 1 of their astir impactful teammates.

Rafael Barragan Donan died successful a motorcycle mishap past September.

"When helium came by, everybody connected," says manager Mark Melchor. "He was similar the stone for our team."

This is the archetypal play the Toros are without "Rafa," who they picture arsenic the glue that brought this squad together.

"He was decidedly similar a small brother," says Ivan Lara. "He would ever travel successful smiling. You'd ne'er spot him upset. You'd ne'er spot him connected a atrocious day. He'd marque your time large - that's conscionable however helium was. There was ne'er a atrocious happening astir him."

Rafa was known for a contagious grin and infectious spirit. That's precisely however his mom, Hilda Adriana, wants him to beryllium remembered.

The Toros accidental they've dedicated this play to Rafa.

Last September, Rafa was honored earlier a shot crippled betwixt Madera and Madera South.

Because Rafa ever showed up for his teammates, his household continues that legacy, inactive showing up to the Toros matches and cheering connected the squad this season.

"We ever conscionable successful the excavation country earlier a game, and helium would ever say, 'Let's spell retired determination and beryllium acceptable to triumph today.'" Melchor said.

Through the grief, the Toros' ngo is clear.

"We anticipation that you're looking down connected america and we're making you arrogant each day, conscionable similar however you made america arrogant each azygous time you were retired here," Lara said. "We dedicate the play to him, and we privation to triumph it for him."

Torres faces Foothill successful the Division IV conception title connected Tuesday.

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