Southern Section Tennis Playoffs : Sonora Hangs On, Upsets Claremont

Glenn Mendiaz and Kevin Matney won three of their last four games in the final set as Sonora High School fought off a Claremont rally to win a first-round Southern Section 3-A tennis match in total games, 78-77, Tuesday at Claremont. The teams tied in sets, 9-9.

Sonora (12-8) led, 9-7, but Claremont (19-2)--the first-place team from the Baseline League--rallied to win the final two sets. Mendiaz and Matney came back from a 5-0 deficit to win the final three games and clinch the team victory before losing the set, 6-3.

Sonora, the third-place team from the Freeway League, was also led by the No. 3 doubles team of Benson Curb and Greg Choe, which swept its three sets, 7-5, 6-1, 6-0.

In other 3-A first-round action:

Los Alamitos 18, Santiago 0--No. 1 singles player Kit Codik swept his sets, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, to lead the top-ranked Griffins at Los Alamitos. Codik, whose record is 44-0, joined Shubert Koong (6-0, 6-0, 6-0) and Jon Imel (6-1, 6-0, 6-0) in helping the Griffins (21-0) to their first shutout of the year.

The doubles teams of Richard Skoglund and Gary Cunneen (6-0, 6-0, 6-1), Hahn Lin and Jeff Mackewicz (6-1, 6-2, 6-1) and Tom Schloessman and David Schulten (6-3, 6-4, 6-1) completed the Los Alamitos sweep.

The Griffins play Alhambra in a second-round match Friday at a location to be determined.

Sunny Hills 14, Laguna Hills 4--Sophomore Glen Henderson swept his sets, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, to lead the Lancers at Sunny Hills. In doubles, Robert Pearson and Ricci DeFazio won, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2; Robert Spurlock and Bernard Phelps won, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5, and Andrew Duncan and Nathan Winn won, 6-4, 6-0, 6-0 to help Sunny Hills (16-4).

Los Amigos 11, Burbank 7--Bill Pham (6-3, 6-0, 6-1) and Peter Pham (6-0, 6-0, 6-0) swept their sets to lead the Lobos (20-1) at Los Amigos.

Woodbridge 10, La Canada 8--Woodbridge (15-4) got all nine points in singles and hung on by winning one of nine doubles matches at Woodbridge. Singles players Gabe Pate, Randy Ivey and Alex Steinhardt each won three sets for the Warriors. Paul Entwistle and Danny Beckerman defeated La Canada’s No. 1 doubles team of Yale Kim and Charles Carney, 6-4, for the deciding set.

Fullerton 11, Esperanza 7--No. 1 singles player Andy Joe (7-5, 6-0, 6-2) and the No. 1 doubles team of Bob Carlton and Gerrad Moses (6-4, 6-0, 6-1) swept their sets to lead the Indians (14-6) at Esperanza.

In 5-A action:

Corona del Mar 12, South Torrance 6--Mike Briggs swept three sets, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0, to lead the Sea Kings (16-5) at home. Teammate Steve Loucks and Bob Etetar won two of three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Corona del Mar plays Beverly Hills in Friday’s second round.

Newport Harbor 14, Santa Monica 4--Chris Rabbitt swept three sets without losing a game and Mike Hardin (6-3, 6-3, 6-3) and Brett Hansen (6-1, 6-4, 6-2) also swept three sets each as the Sailors (16-5) won at Santa Monica.

In 4-A action:

Foothill 9, Fountain Valley 9 (Foothill advances on games, 86-67)--No. 1 singles player Dan Turbow (6-0, 6-3, 6-0) and teammate Jeff Giesea (6-4, 6-0, 6-0) swept their singles sets to help the Knights (13-5) at home. Foothill plays Diamond Bar in a second-round match Friday.

Edison 16, Muir 2--Jason Black, Kayvan Kamali and Kris Kirk each swept singles sets as the Chargers (16-5) won at Edison. The Chargers’ doubles teams of Steve Arnott and Bobby Dye, and Dave Moore and Nori Otsuji swept three sets each.

Mater Dei 16, Nordhoff 2--Dax Peterson (6-0. 6-1, 6-2) and Dan Jenkins (6-3, 6-0, 6-4) swept their singles matches to lead the fourth-seeded Monarchs (17-1) at Nordhoff. Pat Harnett and Mike Johnson (6-4, 6-2, 6-1) and Jeff Guiltinan and Joe Sinacori (6-3, 7-5, 6-2) swept doubles matches for Mater Dei. Nordhoff finishes at 15-4.

In 2-A action:

Magnolia 12, El Rancho 6--The doubles teams of Vince Afsahi and Tony McCarren, and Andrew Cho and Keith Warwick won three sets each as the Sentinels (17-4) won at Magnolia. Manuel Ohlendorf won three singles matches and Keith Warwick two for the Sentinels.

Valencia 17, Walnut 1--Freshman No. 1 singles player Danny Yu won, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, and the No. 1 doubles team of Eric Flint and Minh Ai won, 6-1, 6-0, 6-2, at Valencia. The Tigers are 20-1.