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.