Success Comes in Fours for Calabasas

Calabasas High’s success is a group effort.

The Coyotes don’t rely on one standout. They have four: sophomores Monica Wiesener and Celia Durkin, junior Erin Everly and freshman Amanda Fink.

Those four, plus doubles player Chloe Solomon, have been nearly unbeatable. The Coyotes, third in Southern Section Division IV and No. 5 in The Times’ rankings, are 10-1, including a 2-0 record in the Frontier League.

Wiesener, Durkin, Everly and Fink reflect a tradition of strong singles players at Calabasas.

They follow former standouts Shervin Saedinia and Debbie Pepkowitz and hope to continue their annual playoff success. The Coyotes have advanced to the Southern Section Division IV championship match the last three seasons, winning the title in 1999. They reached the semifinals in 1995, ’96 and ’97.

“I think we’re expected to go far this year,” said Everly, the Frontier League singles champion in 1999 and the runner-up to teammate Wiesener last season. Wiesener (21-0), Durkin (19-2), Everly (28-2), Fink (15-3) and Solomon (3-0) have a combined record of 86-7 in singles sets. Solomon is 27-3 in doubles.

Wiesener, Durkin and Everly play singles most of the time, rotating in the lineup depending on opponents, player requests and the decision of their coach, Bill Belatty. Fink splits her time between singles and doubles.

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Making a racket: Oxnard High, not a force in tennis in the past, has been improving lately.

The Yellowjackets (7-3, 5-0) are in first place in the Pacific View League, having already beaten the usual title contenders, Camarillo and Rio Mesa, and with a key match against Camarillo on Tuesday. Oxnard tied for second behind Camarillo last season.

Yellowjacket Coach Jack Dalton has benefited from the arrival of some top-notch young players.

There are three freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors on the team, which has no seniors.

Fueling the youth movement are two U.S. Tennis Assn. junior-circuit players. Falon Lopez was the league’s singles champion last season as a freshman. This year, she is joined by Mykala Hedberg, a freshman who is No. 4 in the USTA’s Southern California standings in the girls’ 14s division and No. 49 in girls’ 16s.

Lopez and Hedberg have been splitting time in the No. 1 spot. Each is 30-0 in sets.