Beverly Hills Tennis Again Serving Notice

Beverly Hills High won the inaugural Southern Section girls’ tennis championship in 1975--and has not won a section title since.

That could change this season based on the Normans’ performance at last weekend’s National High School All-American tournament in Newport Beach.

Beverly Hills beat Clovis West, Torrey Pines, Corona del Mar and defending Southern Section Division I champion Palos Verdes Peninsula en route to the title.

“I think we surprised some people,” said Beverly Hills Coach Susan Stevens, who has been coaching tennis at the school for 27 years. “This is the best team in the history of Beverly Hills High.”

Beverly Hills took advantage of a format that, unlike high school tennis, allowed players to play singles and doubles.

Freshmen Iris Ichim and Riza Zalameda, junior Kate Jolson, sophomores Irina Shef and Ashley Gleitman and senior Jessica Gordon played the final three matches for Beverly Hills to win the tournament.

Beverly Hills lost to Peninsula the week before the tournament, 17-1, but was without Ichim and Zalameda. The two teams meet again in a Bay League match next Thursday.

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Corona del Mar’s boys’ water polo team plays in Division II, but the Sea Kings showed they might be the best team in the Southland by winning the S&R; Sport Water Polo Cup.

Corona del Mar defeated four-time defending Division I champion Long Beach Wilson, 9-6, in the semifinals and Newport Harbor, 12-11, in the final last Saturday.

Corona del Mar had been floundering until Coach John Vargas returned from guiding the U.S. men’s water polo team in the Olympics.

“We were psyched after beating Wilson,” said Corona del Mar goalkeeper Beau Stockstill, who made two crucial saves in the final minute to secure the title-game victory over Newport Harbor.