San Marino Gets Boost in Rout of Campbell Hall

When it comes to Southern Section boys’ tennis, clashing with the Titans is not advised.

Campbell Hall High became the latest team to learn that truth Wednesday, after being routed by section power San Marino, 13-5, in the Division IV final at the Studio City Golf and Tennis Club.

Third-seeded Campbell Hall (20-1), playing in its first final, trailed 4-2 after one round of play and 9-3 after two. The Vikings won one singles match, four doubles matches and were buried, 92-47, in total games.

Top-seeded San Marino (24-0), won its second consecutive section title and its fourth since 1990. The Titans won the 1996 Division II championship before the divisions were realigned.

“We never quit today and a lot of teams would have liked to have been in our position,” Campbell Hall Coach Steve Kuechel said. “I was proud of the way we battled.”

But it was an uphill fight, especially once the Titans’ lineup was revealed to include their top singles player, Adam Park.

Early reports had placed Park with San Marino’s No. 2 singles player, John Paul Fruttero, in European junior competition. However, Titan Coach Maureen Bryant said after Park lost in the early rounds of the French Open’s junior tournament he flew home in time for Wednesday’s match.

Despite showing signs of fatigue, Park (30-0) swept his three matches, defeating Adam Zunder, 6-3, and Shaun Vanerian and Ryan King each by 6-0 scores.

“Without (Park and Fruttero) I think we could have beaten them,” Kuechel said.

Also playing a role in the outcome was an early injury to Mike Presto, half of Campbell Hall’s No. 2 doubles team.

Leading 2-0 in their first match, Presto and Nick Nadjarian lost, 6-2, after Presto pulled a stomach muscle. The pair lost 6-0 in the second round before Kuechel substituted Danny Berberian for Presto with Bryant’s permission. The new pairing earned a 6-3 victory in the third round.

“The first round is so crucial and when Mike got hurt the whole team saw it and got down,” Kuechel said.

Campbell Hall’s lone bright spot was its No. 1 doubles team of Josh Glass and James Chun. The two swept their matches.

The juniors trailed Jason Yao and Glen Yang, 5-2, in their first match, but rallied to win 7-6 (7-4 in the tiebreaker). Glass and Chun closed the season at 62-2.

Zunder (53-7), a freshman and the Vikings’ No. 1 singles player, defeated Derek Tsu, 6-1, in his first match before losing to Park and then Zoran Korac, 6-1.