Huerta Wins City Singles Title for Chatsworth

Rafael Huerta had the opportunity to set precedent, win or lose, at the City Section individual tennis finals Friday at the Racquet Centre of Universal City.

Huerta, however, will go into the books as he preferred--the first City singles’ champion from Chatsworth High.

Huerta defeated Jason Weiss of Woodland Hills Taft, 7-5, 6-2, ending Weiss’ bid to become the first freshman to win the title.

“It put more pressure on me to be intense every point,” Huerta said. “That helped to encourage myself to not be the first to lose to a freshman.”

Weiss rallied from a 5-3 deficit for a 5-5 tie during the first set against the second-seeded Huerta (15-2).

Huerta went ahead, 6-5, on a service ace and broke serve in the next game to win the first set. He won four consecutive games during the final set for his second victory over Weiss (15-4) in three meetings.

“Everybody thought it was going to be a close match,” Weiss said. “But my mental game kind of went down, down, down.”

University’s Sung Kim and Ali Zarrinnam won by default because of injury in doubles.