Laguna Beach boys’ tennis preview

The 2014 boys’ tennis season at Laguna Beach High gets underway on Tuesday.

The Breakers, under the direction of head coach Don Davis, have six players back from a team that last year overcame injuries to several players to repeat as Orange Coast League champion and reached the quarterfinal round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs.

The Breakers lost several key players from last year’s league championship team to graduation last June. Among those players they must replace are Teague Hamilton (OCL MVP singles), Morgan Lebby (all-league first-team singles) and Zach Pratto (No. 3 singles), plus three of their top six doubles starters (Matt Meisberger, Oliver Nasiel, Owen Weber).

Below is a capsule look at the 2014 Breakers who launch their season with two games next week.

Head Coach: Don Davis.

Coaching staff: Rick Gebhardt, Everett Gee.

2013 overall record: 11-11

2013 league record: 8-1 (champion)

2013 CIF results: Reached quarterfinal round Division 4.

Returning varsity players: Sterling Dudley-Bowen (singles/doubles, Soph.); Alex Duong (singles/doubles, Sr.); Ryan Gee (singles/doubles, Soph.); Chad Kanner (singles/doubles, Soph.); Tim Nguyen (singles/doubles, Sr.); Jeff Spitz (singles/doubles, Sr.).

Returning with honors: Alex Duong (all-league first-team doubles); Ryan Gee (all-league first-team doubles).

Varsity newcomers: Adrien Azera (singles/doubles, Jr.); Ethan Gee (singles/doubles, Fr.); Clayton Haines (doubles, Soph.); Hayden Seitz (doubles, Soph.); Stuart Webb (singles/doubles, Soph.); Zack Washer (singles/doubles, Fr.).

Coach’s outlook: “We are a new team and a young team, as half the boys playing on our team are playing varsity for the very first time, with only three being seniors and one a junior,” Davis said. “So this is the proverbial ‘rebuilding year.’ We are starting with a small varsity team, however, I expect to be moving players up from JV as the season progresses.”

Season opener: Tuesday, 3 p.m., vs. Sage Hill (at The Tennis Club).

— Mike Sciacca