Dana Hills Cruises Past Upland With Top Down

The Dana Hills boys’ tennis team is missing two of its top players, but it hasn’t skipped a beat.

On Thursday, the Dolphins rolled to a 13-5 second-round victory over Upland in the Southern Section Division I playoffs, setting up a rematch with Corona del Mar, one of two teams to beat them this season.

Injuries to senior co-captain Blake Wilson-Haydn and Chance Ora have forced Dana Hills Coach Jim Wilson to shuffle his lineup. In the new scheme, Jason Efstathiou returns to No. 1 singles, doubles player Kenton Kimmel moves into the No. 2 singles slot and sophomore Sumil Menon plays at No. 3.

That lineup seemed effective, until Tuesday’s 12-6 victory over Long Beach Wilson, when Menon salvaged the Dolphins’ only singles wins in the match.

Things improved on Thursday as Efstathiou handled Upland’s top player, Josh Horwitz, 6-3, before posting 6-0 and 6-4 wins. Kimmel rebounded as well, losing only to Horwitz, and Menon won two of three sets.

“Jason stepped up today,” Wilson said. “Sumil stepped up Tuesday. Kenton came back today. Ideally, that’s how the team concept works.”

Efstathiou thought he was still tired from a late-night Blink-182 concert over the weekend. His legs, which he said “were like Jell-O” against Long Beach Wilson, still bothered him Thursday, a condition resolved by the victory over Horwitz.

“I got a little more rest the night before, but getting a good start against their No. 1 guy helped my confidence,” said Efstathiou, the other co-captain.

The Dolphins (17-3) received important victories at No. 2 doubles from Jordan Villwock and Travis Smith, who struggled but still managed a sweep. The pair followed a 1-hour 10-minute, first-set win with a 50-minute marathon, surviving, 7-5. They prevailed, 6-1, in their last set.

Gary Fan and Clark Smith won two doubles sets, and Justin Green and Ryan Wirek dispatched Upland’s No. 1 team, 6-1. The Baseline League champion Highlanders finish the season 19-2.