Hsiang Fills in Just Fine at Agoura

Ben Hsiang, who has alternated between swinging a golf club and a tennis racket for Agoura High, is now swinging his weight around as a successful doubles player.

In only his second match with doubles partner Steve Moses, Hsiang has plugged a leak that could have spelled problems at Agoura.

Instead, Hsiang, who also plays golf for Agoura, won two of three doubles sets with Moses leading the Chargers’ doubles domination during a 12-6 victory over Calabasas in a Southern Section Division III boys’ second-round tennis match Thursday at Agoura.

Singles standout Ryan Heinberg, who unexpectedly quit the team three weeks ago, forced Agoura Coach Stu Limbert into shuffle mode.

Limbert broke up the potent combination of Moses and Amir Nejad--the duo is 30-0 in Marmonte League doubles play--so Nejad could take Heinberg’s spot in singles.

After looking over players to team with Moses, Limbert picked Hsiang, who had bounced around with other doubles partners while playing roughly two-thirds of the team’s tennis matches this season.

The duo, still getting used to each other, played at No. 3 and even dropped their first set in a tiebreaker against the Coyotes’ No. 3 team of Ben Noblett and Marcell Jany, 7-6 (7-2).

But Hsiang and Moses only dropped two games in winning their final two sets, against Calabasas’ No. 2 and No. 1 tandems.

“I was just hitting much better in the second and third sets,” Hsiang said.

Fine with Moses.

“We started to click a little more,” he said. “It’s tough playing with another person when you’re used to someone else that you know step-for-step. But we’ll practice more over the weekend.”

Logan Reinas played another key role for Agoura by winning two of three sets at No. 3 singles.

Reinas’ victory against Calabasas’ No. 2 player, Payam Safa, virtually guaranteed the Chargers (17-3) a trip to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, where they will play San Luis Obispo at a site to be determined.

Calabasas (17-5) played most of the season without top player Nick Weiss, who is attending a tennis academy in Florida.

Alex Menchini won all three of his sets at No. 1 singles for Calabasas.