No. 1 Makes Wolverines No. 1

Harvard-Westlake Coach Harry Salamandra is hesitant to boast, but today he is coaching the No. 1 boys’ tennis team in the region.

Who would argue after the Wolverines’ 10-8 victory last week over Santa Barbara, the Southern Section’s No. 1 team in Division I?

The Dons (15-1) had not lost a match in three seasons. Harvard-Westlake, ranked No. 2 in Division II, is 12-1, its only loss coming to powerful Peninsula in a tiebreaker.

Forget about Harvard-Westlake’s state champion basketball team. How about this tennis team?

“It’s seems like the numbers are indicating that we’re the best [team in the area] at this point,” Salamandra said. “Santa Barbara has a reputation, because they’re a talented team, that they don’t lose. But this time I think we had a little more depth and our players played very spirited.”

Leading the way was No. 1 singles player David Brown, who is among the top-20 players in the 18-and-under singles division in the Southern California juniors circuit. Brown clinched the victory over Santa Barbara, winning two of three sets.

This is not the first big victory for Brown, who entered the week having won 16 of 18 sets. In last year’s Southern Section Division III championship match, won by Palm Desert, Brown upset Eni Ghidirmic, 6-3. Ghidirmic had won the section singles championship the previous week.

“He’s a significant leader for us,” Salamandra said of Brown. “He definitely motivates the guys. They look to him for strategy. He usually comes through with a solid game plan.”