SOUTHERN SECTION GIRLS’ TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS : Best Friends to Vie for Finals Berth

Page Bartelt of Capistrano Valley High School is in an unenviable position.

Her task today is to beat Keri Phebus of Corona del Mar, the top-ranked 16-year-old division player in Southern California.

Phebus, who happens to be Bartelt’s best friend, has never lost to Bartelt.

When the sophomores face each other today, they will be playing for a spot in the finals of the Southern Section individual tennis championships.

Phebus, who won the individual title last year, will play Bartelt in one semifinal, and Anne Mall of Dana Hills will face Nicole Hummel of San Marino in the other. The matches begin at 9 a.m. at the Racquet Club of Irvine.

Phebus advanced by defeating Palos Verdes’ Melanie Fountain, 6-1, 6-1, in the round-of-16 and then needed only 30 minutes to beat San Marino’s Michelle Kong, 6-1, 6-0.

Phebus and Bartelt have been friends since they were 7. They are former doubles partners and sometimes travel together to junior tournaments.

“It is hard to play her (Bartelt), because we’re very good friends,” said Phebus, who last year became the first Orange County girl to win an individual championship. She has not lost a match in more than a year. Her most recent loss was a 6-4 defeat to Kim Po of Miraleste in the 4-A team final last year.

Bartelt said, “I’ve played her all my life, so I pretty much know her game. I’m not intimidated by her. I’ll just have to go out and try and beat her.”

Bartelt advanced with victories over Pasadena Poly’s Sandra DeSilva, 6-4, 6-1, and Agoura’s Trish Silverman, 6-3, 6-1.

Mall advanced to the semifinals by defeating Becky Huereque of Etiwanda, 6-3, 6-0, and Molly White of Camarillo, 6-0, 6-0. Jenny Marques of Laguna Hills was eliminated by Jennifer Wall of Arcadia, 6-4, 6-2, in the round-of-16.

None of Orange County’s four doubles teams in the round-of-16 qualified for the semifinals.