Rodriguez adds flavor, skills for Falcons

Mirjam Swanson

GLENDALE -- Odds and ends from the local boys’ tennis scene:

International flavor: Thiago Rodriguez is adding a little spice to an

already spiced up Crescenta Valley High boys’ tennis lineup.

A Brazilian sort of flavor to be precise.

The No. 2 doubles player is a foreign exchange student from Sao Paulo.

It’s a tough call what’s a better part of his story, that Rodriguez is

tracing the footsteps of his mother, Claudia, who also was an exchange

student at CV when she was a junior in high school and who also stayed

with the same family of Bob and Blanche Greenwood.

Or that Rodriguez, a proficient topspinner who hadn’t played tennis in

two years, and his partner Jason Kim, have been so successful, compiling

an 9-2 record so far this season.

“We were the two left over after everyone was paired,” Kim said. “And

we ended up beating everyone but the No. 1 doubles team.

“Coach tried to pair a consistent player and a power player, but since

we were the only two left, we’re both power players. But we’re winning.”

Giving one away: Don’t accuse Hoover High boys’ tennis singles player

Sergy Vagramian of not being compassionate.

Like many of his Tornado teammates, the sophomore has been demolishing

his competition in the early going.

But Vagramian, 12-0 thus far, also has a soft spot for his poor

opponents. Take for example Tuesday’s match against Flintridge Prep,

which Hoover won, 17-1.

After winning his first set, 6-0, Vagramian, seeded 25th in the USTA

Southern California 16-and-under rankings, was thought to have a tougher

challenge against the Rebels’ Tom McCullough, ranked 47th in the same age

group.

But after going up 4-0 against a helpless McCullough, Vagramian, at

least according to him, started feeling sorry for the sophomore.

“I didn’t want to win, 6-0, so I gave him a game,” Vagramian said

jokingly.

All jokes aside, there’s nothing funny about what the Tornadoes have

been doing to their opponents. Hoover is 5-0, and has won its five

matches by scores of 13-5 against Crespi, 14-4 against St. Francis, 12-5

against Valencia, 14-4 against Burbank and 17-1 against the Rebels.