Sailors still in the mix

SEAL BEACH — Seven days from now, the Newport Harbor High boys’ tennis team will know its postseason fate.

But after Monday’s 10-8 loss to Los Alamitos at the Seal Beach Tennis Center, the picture couldn’t be cloudier.

The Sailors’ goal of winning the Sunset League may be slipping away. Marina can clinch the outright title with a win today against Esperanza.

Returning to the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs may not be such a bad consolation prize for Newport Harbor, but even that’s not in the bag yet.

With two league matches remaining, Marina (7-1 in league) holds a two-match lead. The Sailors, Griffins and Fountain Valley are all tied for second at 5-3.

Only three teams typically advance to the playoffs from the league, magnifying the importance of everymatch.

Coach Kristen Case knows it, especially with her team playing at Fountain Valley today and at home against Marina on Monday. That’s why she told her players after losing to Los Alamitos that they need to come into matches with more intensity.

The Griffins (8-8) outscored the Sailors (7-5) in each of the first two rounds, taking a 8-4 lead.

“It’s hard once you’re starting to play catch-up,” Case said. “...They have to be more aware of when they show up. I tell them, ‘You have to show up when you set foot in the parking lot of where you’re playing.’ You don’t show up in the warmup, or show up in the first game of the set. You have to show up right when you get on-site. That’s when the preparation should begin.”

The No. 1 doubles team of Daron Arnold and Cameron Chase appeared prepared, as the juniors swept their matches. At No. 1 singles, senior John Hutchinson won two of his three matches, losing only to the Griffins’ Derek Siddiqui.

But Los Alamitos, which lost, 12-6, in the teams’ first meeting on April 14, was also prepared. No. 2 singles player Taylor Coffee won two of three sets, as did No. 3 Brandon Schlack. In the first matchup, they had combined for just one victory.

In doubles, the Sailors’ senior tandem of McKenna Duley and Taylor Friend won two sets, although they had swept in the previous meeting.

“Los Al, their doubles today really played well,” Case said. “We had a much easier time against their doubles in the first meeting.”

Los Alamitos Coach Mike Moorewood agreed with that assessment, even as he said the Griffins were missing standout Charlie Sharzer due to a college visit. Moorewood called Sharzer, who typically plays at No. 1 doubles, Los Al’s second-best player.

“We still didn’t have our No. 1 doubles team, and I thought that was going to hurt us,” Moorewood said. “[Newport Harbor] has great doubles, I think that’s their strength. Today we were able to hang with them and squeeze out some sets in singles. Even though we led the whole way, it could have easily switched so fast.”

The Tars tried to switch the momentum in the last round. They pulled within 9-8 after winning four of the first five sets completed, including an upset win by freshmen Craig McKennon and Greg Brostek at No. 3 doubles over Los Al’s No. 1 team. But the Griffins finished it out when Schlack topped Harbor’s Erik Heimstaedt, 6-3.

Before the Heimstaedt-Schlack match was completed, the game score was tied 80-80. But the Griffins made sure nobody had to break out their calculators.

“Yes, [Heimstaedt] was the last one on, but it doesn’t come down just to his match,” Case said. “It could have been any set, in any of those rounds. We just needed one more set to turn the other way.”

Now, preparations begin for a tough but important last couple of matches, beginning today at Fountain Valley. The Barons edged Newport Harbor, 10-8, on April 3.

“It’s definitely a tough last three to go up against, but I’d rather go out with a challenge than go out against people who you’re expected to beat,” Case said. “These guys are very talented players, and giving them a challenge gives them a chance to rise to the occasion. I think they’ll keep their heads in the game, fight it out and come out on top.

“In that last round [Monday], I saw the desire they had. If they can carry it into our next two matches, we definitely have a chance.”

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Sunset League

Los Alamitos 10, Newport Harbor 8

Singles – Hutchinson (NH) lost to Siddiqui, 2-6, def. Coffee, 6-0, def. Schlack, 6-2; Heimstaedt (NH) lost, 1-6, 6-7 (2-7), 3-6; Tuz (NH) lost, 0-6, 4-6, 4-6.

Doubles – Arnold-Chase (NH) def. Chonoles-Mar, 6-3, def. Bozentka-Nguyen, 6-2, def. Foster-Worthington, 7-5; Duley-Friend (NH) lost, 5-7, won, 7-5, 6-2; McKennon-Brostek (NH) won, 6-4, lost, 5-7, 3-6.

MATT SZABO can be reached at (714) 966-4614 or matthew.szabo@latimes.com.