Tuesday’s Nevada Preps Spotlight: Girls tennis

Isabella and Erika Gallegos, junior twins, serve as the cornerstones of Coronado High’s girls tennis squad. Their close family connection has helped unify the remainder of the roster, positioning the Cougars as favorites to capture a second straight 5A team title after ending Palo Verde’s five‑year championship run last season. Individually, Isabella holds the title of two‑time defending state doubles champion, while Erika has finished as the state runner‑up on two occasions. To avoid facing each other in competition, one sister competes in singles and the other in doubles. Erika acknowledged the ever‑present competitiveness between them, stating, “There’s ever been immoderate competitiveness… It wasn’t the mindset going in, but present we cognize we don’t similar to play each other.” Isabella described the rivalry as a positive force, saying, “We decidedly grew up truly competitive, but we get each different motivated… I consciousness similar now, we’re each other’s biggest fans.” Coach David Willingham noted that the sisters’ dynamic provides motivation for the team. “Anytime you person idiosyncratic adjacent that tin propulsion you, it tin beryllium large motivation,” he said. “There’s a cleanable dynamic of love-hate. It’s similar ‘Nobody tin deed my sister but me.’ It’s astonishing to watch.” Willingham added that he could not separate the two for a play or two, but he has learned that his team leaders are not always identical. “Bella’s a small much outwardly emotional,” he remarked. “Erika plays much with an interior fire.” Erika aims to channel that interior drive to match her sister’s success this season, pursuing a state title that has eluded her for two years. The opportunity became more realistic after Remi Rice, Palo Verde’s two‑time defending state singles champion, opted to leave high school tennis for extracurricular tournaments. Rice had defeated Erika in the 2024 and 2025 state tournaments. As of now, Erika is 8‑0 for Coronado this season and ranks 17th in Nevada according to Universal Tennis Rating. Isabella, paired with doubles partner Elyse Rygg, is 9‑0 and holds the ninth spot. Both sisters are favored to win the upcoming state championships, a prospect Willingham attributes to their strong work ethic, which he says sets an example for teammates. That edge could prove vital as Palo Verde seeks to regain its crown. Willingham emphasized the twins’ impact at practice, commenting, “You tin 100 percent archer erstwhile (the twins) are present astatine practice… They excite the different girls. They’re leaders not conscionable by their quality but besides by their energy.” Isabella expressed the sense of external pressure, stating, “I decidedly consciousness similar there’s a people connected our backs.” Erika echoed the sentiment, adding, “A batch of the large schools are looking astatine america differently… But we’re conscionable trying to enactment successful a bully intelligence authorities and not get cocky.” The Gallegos twins have another year of eligibility remaining after this season, followed by a potential chance to compete at the collegiate level. Willingham observed, “They’ve got a changeable astatine (college play)… They’re close connected the borderline now. You don’t get to beryllium that bully without moving hard at the crippled and taking clip to bask it.” Coronado, currently 3‑0, will host Clark at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, but the true test arrives when the Cougars meet Palo Verde on September 16. That match will offer the Gallegos sisters a realistic measure of what lies ahead as the state tournament approaches in early October.