Playoff Substitutions Well Received

In the past, there was often no substitute for defaulting sets if a high school player was forced to retire from a match because of injury or illness.

That will not be the case this season.

Thanks to a new rule allowing coaches to substitute players between sets in round-robin competition, replacements will be allowed during girls’ and boys’ tennis playoffs for the first time.

Previously, players were allowed one five-minute timeout in cases of injury or illness. If they could not continue, any ensuing sets to be played were defaulted, automatically costing teams games and points.

“It was a big disadvantage for teams, through no fault of their own, when a player got injured,” said Paul Castillo, Southern Section assistant commissioner in charge of tennis.

During regular-season nonleague matches, the rule can be instituted by consent of the coaches involved. In league matches, standing league rules regarding substitutions apply.

The rule change was proposed by Howie Farer, the Pasadena Poly High girls’ coach since 1967 and a long-time proponent of substitutions.

A few Southern Section leagues have instituted a substitution rule in regular-season matches in the past. The Prep League, in which Farer’s Pasadena Poly team competes, is one. The idea of substitutions during playoffs received overwhelming support from the 83-member Southern Section Council, which approved the change in March.

“It seemed like it was a big hit,” said Farer, who hopes it will be with coaches too.

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Big addition: Christine Dao, Granada Hills’ No. 2 player last season, played her first two matches of this season with the Highlanders (5-0, 2-0) last week.

Dao has chosen to play for her school’s junior-varsity volleyball team. While the sophomore is competing in both sports, she practices only with the volleyball team.

Dao, at No. 54 in Southern California, according to the U.S. Tennis Assn.’s current Girls’ 16 Division standings, has already made a difference for the tennis team.

“We’re going to play it by ear,” Granada Hills Coach Ron Wood said. “But there’s just no question about it. She makes a huge difference. With her, we have a shot at the City championship, whereas without her, we almost certainly wouldn’t.’

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THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

1. Palos Verdes Peninsula (11-2, SS-Bay)

Panthers might be hobbled by Shilpa Joshi’s sore right ankle, but they won seven matches last week and avenged loss to Corona del Mar.

2. Corona del Mar (11-1, SS-Pacific Coast)

Sea Kings missed Brittany Reitz at national tournament, but runner-up finish was improvement on last year’s semifinal showing.

3. Dana Hills (9-3, SS-South Coast)

Kady Pooler’s return helped previously unranked Dolphins to surprise third-place finish in national tournament.

4. Beverly Hills (7-3, SS-Bay)

No shame in losses to Peninsula, Corona del Mar and Dana Hills last week.

5. Calabasas (8-1, SS-Frontier)

Monica Wiesener, Celia Durkin and Erin Everly are a combined 71-4 in sets.

6. Fullerton Troy (9-3, SS-Freeway)

Veronica Fermin’s big day not enough.

7. Palm Desert (10-2, SS-Desert Valley)

Aztecs went 2-2 and placed seventh in national tournament after winning two league matches.

8. Newport Harbor (7-5, SS-Sea View)

Natalie Braverman is playing well for Sailors, who fell to Palm Desert in national tournament.

9. North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake (4-3, SS-Mission)

Inconsistent Wolverines were beaten by Menlo in ninth-place semifinals of national tournament.

10. Villa Park (8-3, SS-Century)

Lindsey Nelson beat Anaheim Canyon’s Tracy Lin to help Spartans take charge in the Century League.