TENNIS

Rio Mesa High senior Tiffany Brymer came from behind to defeat San Marino High sophomore Luana Magnani, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, to win the singles championship in the Southern Section individual tournament Friday at the Racquet Club of Irvine.

Brymer, the top-seeded player in the tournament, struggled for control of the match--and herself--before winning the last four games of the second set to take command.

“I was getting mad at myself,” said Brymer, ranked sixth by the U.S. Tennis Assn. in the girls’ 18 division. “I just was not playing well, but I kind of said, ‘I need to calm down, and it’ll come back to me,’ and it did.”

Magnani, who is ranked second in girls’ 16s in Southern California, said of Brymer: “I thought I had her for a while, but then she just really picked up her game.”

Brymer transferred into Rio Mesa in September after spending her junior year at the Weil Tennis Academy in Ojai. She posted a regular-season record of 17-0 in singles sets and 3-0 in doubles with three different partners.

Brymer advanced to the title match with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Glendale resident Maureen Diaz.

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Two singles players and two doubles teams from Granada Hills High advanced to the round of 16 in the City Section individual tournament Friday at the L.A. Fitness-Warner Center Racquet Club in Woodland Hills.

Jasmin Dao and Kelley Takeshita, the top singles players for Granada Hills, advanced as did the Highlanders’ doubles teams of Jennifer Steinberg and Andrea Blieden, and Valerie Ramirez and Shannon Slonick.

Among others advancing in singles was fourth-seeded Diana Friedland of Van Nuys.

Advancing in doubles were Wandee Chivatakarn and Jane Han of Van Nuys, Joanne Joo and Marsha Kadze of Van Nuys, and Maggie Wartik and Lisa Hirth of Taft.

The round of 16 is scheduled for Monday. Singles play begins at 12:30 p.m., doubles at 1:30 p.m.

FYI

Registration for the American Roundball Corp. Instructional Basketball Academy for grades 1 through 8 will be held today at 9 a.m. at North Hollywood High; 11 a.m. at Santa Clarita Athletic Club, and 1 p.m. at Pierce College.

Information: (818) 995-3761.

A baseball catching clinic instructed by Ventura College assistant coach Rob Paramo and minor-league catcher Steve Soliz is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 13 at Ventura College. The clinic is open to players of all ages. Cost is $50.

Information: (805) 933-3232.