Freshman Changes Rackets, Makes Dent in Singles Final

Apparently there is some magic left in the old man’s racket.

After searching for his game, his confidence and the right racket for more than a set, Corona del Mar freshman Taylor Dent found all three when his father, former top 10 professional Phil Dent, handed him one of his own.

“I got the lucky one, I guess,” said Taylor, who rallied from a one-set deficit to defeat San Marino sophomore Andrew Park, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, and win the Southern Section individual singles title Saturday at Seacliff Country Club in Huntington Beach.

Dent is believed to be the first freshman to win a Southern Section boys’ singles title. Park, who defeated Dent in the finals of the Whittier Invitational junior tournament last Sunday, also lost the section individual singles final last year.

Park was on his way to avenging last year’s defeat after winning the first set in 25 minutes. Dent was committing a lot of unforced errors and Park was sharp with his ground strokes. Dent became so frustrated with Park’s passing shots after losing the first set that he threw his second racket of the match against the fence and broke a string.

He played with one of his own rackets for a game before his father came running with a lighter racket.

“I started serving better with my dad’s racket,” said Dent, who defeated Royal senior Nick Varvais in a morning semifinal, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. “My mentality changed when I started with it.”

In the doubles final, La Canada freshman Parker Collins and senior Dave Willwerth defeated Etiwanda’s Phil Ham and Jeff Bernard, 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-3.