Van Nuys Grows Up Quickly

Vincent Hsu, the captain and No. 1 singles player at Van Nuys High, expected this to be a rebuilding year.

With only three players returning from last year’s City Section 3-A Division championship team, he wasn’t alone in his thinking.

But the seven inexperienced teammates Hsu refers to as “rookies” proved their leader wrong Monday afternoon.

Van Nuys, buoyed by its singles play down the stretch, withstood a late rally by Eagle Rock and claimed a 16 1/2-13 victory in the final at the Racquet Centre in Studio City.

“I really thought we couldn’t get here today,” said Hsu, who won three of his four sets. “But when it counted the most, they really played their best.”

Van Nuys (15-2) led, 12-8 1/2, after 17 of 25 sets, but Eagle Rock (16-1) rallied within 13 1/2-13 with three singles sets remaining.

Hsu’s 6-3 victory over No. 2 Cong Nguyen got Van Nuys within a half-point of the title, 14 1/2-13.

The clincher was No. 3 singles player Alex Mangu’s 6-1 victory over Eagle Rock’s No. 4 Joe Devjevprasit.

Minutes later, Van Nuys’ No. 2 Sammy Choo defeated No. 3 James Lee, 7-6 (8-6), in a see-saw battle to cap the victory.

“We were worried right up to the last couple of points,” said Coach Jim Buck, who has guided the Wolves to three 3-A titles in five years.

Mangu’s victory was a pleasant ending to his otherwise frustrating day.

In the second rotation, Mangu’s opponent, Nguyen, asked for a linesman, complaining that Mangu was missing calls down the line. Mangu defeated Nguyen, 7-6 (10-8).

The Eagle Rock complaints continued in the next rotation.

No. 1 singles player Eugene Rapada, who swept his four opponents, complained that Mangu called out what Rapada thought were two service aces. A linesman from each team was summoned and Rapada prevailed, 6-4.

Before Mangu’s final match, linesmen were called again.

“The shots weren’t going in for them,” Mangu said. “It’s unfortunate they were upset. [But] I had no doubt about any of the calls I made today.”

Van Nuys won nine of 12 singles sets, including two in a tie-breaker, and five of nine doubles sets.