Corona del Mar Hands Dana Hills Its First Loss

Corona del Mar reached its first Southern Section boys’ tennis final in 15 years with a 10-8 victory over previously undefeated Dana Hills in the Division I semifinals Thursday at Dana Hills. The second-seeded Sea Kings (21-1), who will meet top-seeded Palos Verdes Peninsula in Wednesday’s finals, were carried to victory by their doubles teams, which won seven of nine sets.

“We thought we’d sweep [the doubles],” said Corona del Mar freshman Brian Morton, who teamed with freshman Randy Meyers for three wins. Sameer Chopra and Sam Shahmardi also swept at No. 3 doubles.

Corona del Mar needed a strong day from its doubles because No. 1 singles player Parker Collins struggled. Collins won only two games in his first two sets against third-seeded Dana Hills’ top two players, Brian Kent and Javier Carrillo, who swept their three sets.

“He had a tough day,” Corona del Mar Coach Tim Mang said. “Parker likes to get organized, but he didn’t have time. He played two different types of players.”

Collins wound up clinching the match for the Sea Kings with a 6-0 victory over Dana Hills’ No. 3 singles player, Matt Leventhal.

The key set turned out to be Morton and Meyers’ 6-4 victory over Dana Hills’ top team of Jon Lippert and Brian Liebman in the third round. Lippert and Liebman led, 4-3, but dropped the last three games because of some questionable strategy. Lippert and Liebman continually tried to lob the ball on Morton and Meyers, but the strategy didn’t work too well as Morton put away overhead after overhead.

“I knew it was close,” Morton said. “But I kind of like the pressure. I play harder.”

Lippert and Liebman recorded one of Dana Hills’ two doubles victories, Elliott Fisher and Jason Efstathiou had the other. Dana Hills’ No. 2 team of Scott Jason and Blake Wilson-Hayden were shutout,6-1, 6-2, 6-1.

“I don’t know what happened there,” Dana Hills Coach John Stephens said. “Those kids are much better than that.”

None of the Sea Kings’ three doubles teams have been together very long, but their chemistry Thursday was excellent. Stephens, whose team finished 23-1, said he wasn’t too surprised: “I didn’t think it mattered what he did with his teams because he’s got depth.”

Corona del Mar will need another big day from its doubles teams against Peninsula, which took seven of nine doubles in the first meeting--an 81-79 victory by Peninsula in games. Corona del Mar will be the host team against Peninsula because it has played only two home matches to Peninsula’s three. Corona del Mar Coach Tim Mang said the final will probably be played at Balboa Bay Racquet Club.

The last time Corona del Mar won a section title was 1983. It beat Palos Verdes Miraleste, which was combined with two other schools to form Peninsula.