THE TIMES’ ALL-COUNTY TEAMS : TENNIS : Danielle Scott Cleans Up on Her County Foes

Danielle Scott said her toughest competition on Orange County tennis courts this season came from her Corona del Mar High School teammate, Robin Bain, and that was only in practice.

Scott, a senior, didn’t lose a match to a county opponent this season.

She advanced to the Southern Section individual championship final but lost to Kim Po of Miraleste, 6-1, 6-4. Scott, The Times’ girls’ tennis player of the year, was 39-7 for the season.

Given her record and a lofty juniors ranking (she was ranked ninth in Southern California in the 16-year-old age group last season, but this season’s ranking will not appear until February), the question is, why would Scott even bother playing for the Sea Kings?

Why not stay on the juniors circuit exclusively? Why not play at national tournaments such as the national indoor tournament she played in Kansas City the week after the Southern Section tournament?

“It’s fun to be with your friends,” Scott said. “I have a good time and I support my high school.

“(But) I didn’t play a lot of matches. I was just practicing. There’s not much competition until you get to (the Southern Section) playoffs. It gets pretty boring. You want to get better and play against better people.”

Even winning had frustrating moments, however. One occurred in her semifinal match of the section individual tournament.

Playing against Laura Kimel of Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, Scott found herself battling Kimel’s agonizing, return-every-shot style.

Scott was faster and stronger than Kimel but couldn’t gain the upper hand. Kimel simply kept the ball in play and the first set dragged on for 90 minutes.

Finally, Scott won, 7-5, in a tiebreaker and went on to the win the match.

“She was driving me crazy that first set,” Scott said. “Whoever would have won that first set would have won the match. If she would have won it, I would have just quit.”

That long match hurt Scott’s chances of beating Po in the final later that afternoon. While Scott was hitting one baseline shot after another, Po was resting after an easier, quicker semifinal match.

Still, Scott said that strictly playing in the juniors tournaments “wouldn’t have been as much fun” as competing at Corona del Mar.

She said she would like to continue playing in college, perhaps at Pepperdine or UC San Diego.

GIRLS TENNIS FIRST TEAM

Singles Debbie Goldberger Edison Senior Danielle Scott Corona del Mar Senior Julie Willett Woodbridge Senior Doubles Erin Hendricks Estancia Senior Dina Birch Estancia Senior Katrina Heppler Laguna Hills Senior Mai Nguyen Laguna Hills Senior Laura Lisack El Toro Senior Krista Hudson El Toro Junior

SECOND TEAM

Singles Monica Davis Troy Senior Diane Ewing Valencia Senior Jenny Marques Laguna Hills Sophomore Doubles Elana Birch Estancia Senior Karen Farquhar Estancia Senior Wendy Sugi Laguna Beach Senior Kim Stephens Laguna Beach Senior Kellie Thompson Fountain Valley Junior Stephanie Urricariet Fountain Valley Junior