Pooler Reaches Final in Sectional Tournament

Seven top-seeded players in 10 divisions advanced to today’s final matches with victories in the Southern California Junior Sectional Tennis Championships at Fountain Valley.

Sixth-seeded Kady Pooler of Laguna Niguel defeated top-seeded Robyn Baker of Palm Desert, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, in a girls’ 16 semifinal.

Southern Section champion Doug Stewart of Malibu High, seeded No. 1 in the boys’ 18 division, defeated fifth-seeded Rylan Rizza of Rancho Palos Verdes, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. He faces unseeded qualifier Travis Rettenmaier of Fountain Valley in the final at 10:30 this morning at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club.

Rettenmaier, 17, who recently completed his sophomore season at UCLA, defeated No. 2-seeded Matthew Loucks of Irvine, 7-5, 7-5.

Rettenmaier and Stewart have never played. Stewart has won three sectional age-group championships, but lost to Alexander Anselme of Santa Monica in the boys’ 16 title match last year.

Top-seeded Jack Li advanced to the boys’ 16 final. He plays No. 2-seeded Jamil Al-Agba of Camarillo. No. 1 Iris Ichim of Beverly Hills faces No. 2 Kim-Ahn Nguyen of Orange in girls’ 18, and No. 1 Cosmima Ciobanu of Brea plays unseeded Karina Porushkevich of Los Angeles for the girls’ 14 title.