Final act for Crescenta Valley
LOS ALAMITOS — For much of the season, the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis doubles teams had plenty of success.
They helped the Falcons earn a second-place finish in the Pacific League.
On Thursday afternoon, those normally reliable doubles teams were essentially nowhere to be found.
Crescenta Valley saw its season end with an 11-7 loss to host Los Alamitos in a CIF Southern Section Division II opening-round match.
The Falcons (16-3) only picked up a pair of doubles wins and appeared flat in their losses.
Crescenta Valley collected only 21 games against a determined Los Alamitos (19-2), the second-place team in the Sunset League.
“You don’t come here to play 18 sets to get killed,” said veteran Crescenta Valley Coach Tom Gossard, who said on Thursday that this season was probably his last coaching the program. “Our doubles teams were not ready to play, and I don’t have any idea why.
“Even on our best day we would’ve had trouble beating them.”
Since he took over the program in 1995, the Falcons have won nine league championships and have finished no worse than second place.
Gossard took the Falcons to two CIF quarterfinal appearances and one semifinal during his tenure and to the second round in each of the last two seasons.
“I’ve had 15 great years,” said Gossard, who went 142-14 in Pacific League play. “I loved it.”
The Falcons did have two bright spots with the performances turned in by singles players Erin LeVoir and Carineh Ghafafian.
LeVoir, the reigning All-Area Singles Player of the Year, lost only three games in a 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 sweep.
Ghafafian picked up two wins, 6-3, 6-1.
“Erin and Carineh played well,” Gossard said.
Crescenta Valley’s doubles wins came from Ani Ebrahimian and Tamara Talverdian, who won, 6-1, and Viktoriya Shumakova and Ani Pogarian, who won, 6-3.
Ebrahimian, a senior, said the Falcons might have taken Los Alamitos lightly.
“We really didn’t show up,” she said. “We went on the court with confidence and planning to play on Saturday [in the second round].”
Ebrahimian, a four-year varsity athlete, said she learned a lot from Gossard.
“I can’t see myself playing for another coach,” she said. “I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for him. He’s taught us so much and he knows what he’s talking about.”
Get in touch CHARLES RICH covers sports. He can be reached at (818) 637-3228 or charles.rich@latimes.com.
