Tornadoes victors again

Mirjam Swanson

BURBANK -- After beating Burbank, 14-4, for their fourth nonleague win

in four matches, the revamped and much-improved Hoover boys’ tennis team

already is expecting star treatment.

“Every city we’re in, we’re headlining,” proclaimed Sam Tadevosian,

modifying a line from one of his favorite rap songs, “Ballin’ out of

control,” by Nate Dogg and Jermaine Dupri.

Headlining, and winning easily, it seems.

On Thursday at the Burbank Tennis Center where almost half of the

Tornado team, as well as several Bulldog players, take or took lessons,

Hoover’s singles players performed as expected -- winning eight of nine

sets -- and its doubles teams managed also to win the majority of their

sets.

Burbank’s No. 1 singles player, sophomore Haig Kassabian, beat his

older cousin, Vahe Kassabian, for the Bulldog’s only singles win.

Because Hoover’s Jack Karapetian, whose grandmother died recently,

wasn’t up to playing Thursday, Coach Lynn Santamaria had to shuffle her

doubles lineup.

She wound up pairing -- at her players’ request -- Eddie Choi and Joe

Kim at the No. 1 slot and Hagop Tadevosian and usual reserve Robert

Abedian at the No. 3 position.

And, as things generally go with deep, talented teams, the moves

worked beautifully for the Tornadoes.

Choi and Kim began the match by pulling off a nip-and-tuck 7-6 (7-5)

win against Antonio Kim and Rick Swanson.

And Hagop Tadevosian and Abedian comminicated well, made some great

shots, and cruised to a trio of 6-1 wins.

On Burbank’s side, the brother duo of senior Musheg Rostomian and

Robert Rostonian won twice.

“I’m happy with some of our doubles play,” said Bulldog Coach Paul

McNiff, whose team had dropped its previous two matches to tough Loyola

and San Marino teams.

“We knew their singles would win most of their sets, but we wanted to

try to win more doubles -- which we didn’t, so I’m a little

disappointed.”

Ah yes, Hoover singles.

Newcomer Dylan Kim made his first appearance for the Tornadoes,

playing at the No. 1 position. The result: a sweep, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.

Freshman Sam Tadevosian made his fourth such appearance. That result:

6-0, 6-0 -- before Vahe Kassabian substitued for him in the third round.

Tadevosian’s record is now 10-0 in sets, 60-0 in games.

BOX SCORE

Hoover 14, Burbank 4

SINGLES -- D. Kim (H) d. H. Kassabian, 6-0, Starleaf, 6-0,

Baghdasarian, 6-0; V. Kassabian (H) lost to H. Kassabain, 3-6; S.

Tadevosian (H) d. Starleaf, 6-0, Baghdasaryan, 6-0; Vagramian won, 6-4,

6-0, 6-1.

DOUBLES -- Choi/Kim (H) d. A. Kim/Swanson, 7-6 (7-5), lost to M.

Rostomian/R. Rostomian, d. Chang/Dawoodian, 6-2; Weber/E. Kim (H) lost,

4-6, 306, won, 6-0; H. Tadevosian/Abedian won, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1.