NOTEBOOK : Dorsey’s Williams Nets Tennis Title

The City Section Individual tennis championships are usually dominated by players who work out on family tennis courts and practice with private instructors.

So what was a sophomore tennis player from Dorsey High doing in the Individual playoffs?

Winning.

Robert Williams of Dorsey defeated Dylan Mann of Woodland Hills Taft, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), Thursday in the singles final at the Racquet Centre.

Dorsey, which boasts outstanding football, basketball and track stars, now can take pride in its tennis players. Unseeded Kendra Segura of Dorsey knocked off reigning champion Brahna Pastorini of Taft, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-3, for the City girls’ individual title on Dec. 3.

“I haven’t had a match like this in a long time, but I wanted this bad,” Williams said about his nearly 2 1/2-hour showdown against a fellow 10th-grader. “Dorsey has gone to the finals many times, but they never win.”

Williams, 16, had beaten the 15-year-old Mann, 6-2, 6-2, in an age-group tournament earlier this year. He finished the season with a 17-0 mark, including a semifinal win over Bobak Morshed of Pacific Palisades, 6-2, 7-5, Tuesday.

*

Ed Johnson will not return as the Washington High football coach, saying his contract was not renewed. The Generals were 8-5 and reached the City Section 3-A Division semifinals last season, where they lost to Fremont, 28-21. Johnson’s three-year record was 16-16-1 in the Southern Pacific Conference.

“I’m not quite sure why I was let go,” Johnson said. “The principal said I couldn’t control my players. But she would not explain to me what she meant by that.” Washington High principal Marguerite P. La Motte did not return phone calls.

*

Signings--Michael McNeely, pitcher-shortstop for Crenshaw, signed a letter of intent to play baseball at University of San Francisco.

*

Track--A recap of the State track championships held Friday and Saturday will appear in the June 12 edition of City Times.