Valenti Finds Room for Two Sports

Whether riding the annual wave of success enjoyed by the Palisades High girls’ tennis team or simply riding waves as a top-notch longboard surfer, Bianca Valenti just wants to have fun.

She has had plenty of it lately, in both sports.

Valenti, a junior transfer from San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret’s, played the intense junior-tournament circuit as a youngster but now competes only for her high school. She plays anywhere in the lineup, from No. 2 to No. 4 singles or at No. 1 doubles, on a Palisades team that is 11-0, including a 10-0 record in the Western League.

“Since I know how to play and I wanted to play a sport in high school, I went out for tennis,” Valenti said. “It’s a lot of fun, that’s the main thing, so I just kept coming back.”

She took a similar path in surfing, learning the basics of the longboard genre as an 8-year-old but only becoming serious about the sport at 13, when she began competing regularly.

Valenti won the Roxy Wahine Classic’s junior women’s division (for 15-and 16-year-olds) at San Onofre Beach near Oceanside two weeks ago and was featured in the August issue of Longboard magazine.

She also won the Hobie San Onofre Classic’s open division title in March.

Valenti is enrolled in an early-morning surfing class at Palisades, and she hits the beach as often as possible. “In surfing, each day, each wave, is different,” she said. “I love that. It’s actually very artistic.”

Her high school tennis experience has been enjoyable too, so Valenti is entertaining hopes of competing in both in college.

“I can hit pretty hard,” she said. “I was never the best in singles, but I can play, and I think I can improve a lot.”

Add Palisades: The Dolphins appear to be improved from last season, when they lost to Granada Hills Kennedy in the City Section quarterfinals.

A winner of 12 section championships since 1984, including three in a row from 1996-98, Palisades appears to be a contender for another, along with Granada Hills (11-0) and Carson (11-0).

Besides Valenti, the team features a potent sister act in freshman Marissa Lin and senior Jennifer Lin, who have split time in the No. 1 spot. Jasmine Reed, a returning junior, and fast-improving sophomore Madison Sellers also have keyed the Dolphins’ success.

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THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

1. Corona del Mar (20-1, SS--Pacific Coast)

The Sea Kings had a close one against Newport Harbor but won without Anne Yelsey, Brittany Reitz.

2. Palos Verdes Peninsula (21-1, SS--Bay)

Scored commanding wins over Harvard-Westlake, Redondo Union, Laguna Beach and West Torrance.

3. Dana Point Dana Hills (15-5, SS--South Coast)

Against Mission Viejo and Trabuco Hills, No. 2 player Amy Vyhnis continued strong league season.

4. Beverly Hills (15-4, SS--Bay)

The Normans are stuck behind Peninsula in Bay League, but otherwise are a force.

5. Calabasas (17-1, SS--Frontier)

Sophomore Cory Ciezler (40-11) is much improved and has helped add doubles depth.

6. Fullerton Troy (17-3, SS--Freeway)

The Warriors clinched their sixth consecutive Freeway League title.

7. Palm Desert (17-3, SS--Desert Valley)

The Aztecs last week won four matches to clinch their 14th league title in a row.

8. Newport Beach Newport Harbor (12-6, SS--Sea View)

The Sailors showed mettle in going 2-1 in a tough, competitive week of matches.

9. Irvine Woodbridge (15-7, SS--Sea View)

The Warriors lost a close one on games to Newport Harbor in their only match last week.

10. Villa Park (14-4, SS--Century)

The Spartans need only to keep Foothill at bay Tuesday to close out a perfect league season.