Short-handed Spartans swept in singles by Titans
SAN MARINO — Any team must have all hands on deck if a victory is going to be in the cards when it squares off with the San Marino High boys’ tennis squad.
So La Cañada Coach Will Moravec knew it was trouble when he was down two starters, Michael Choi and Harrison Zuk, Tuesday when the Spartans traveled to San Marino and fell to the ninth-ranked Titans in CIF Southern Section Division I, 15-3.
James Wade stepped up again for San Marino. He dropped just two games all day, both coming in a 6-2 win over La Cañada’s No. 1, Josh Kim. Wade won his final two sets, 6-0, 6-0, but everyone in Titans singles was dominant, as San Marino won every singles set.
“I was very happy with [my players] today, they came to play,” San Marino Coach Melwin Pereira said. “Most of them weren’t afraid to lose. They stuck to their plan and just went out and played. I was so proud.”
San Marino’s Nicolas Splichael swept in No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-1, 6-0. Danny Gealer won both sets for the Titans, 6-3, 6-1, before being subbed out for Daniel Abrams, who won, 6-2.
“A lot of teams have a good No. 1 [singles player] but we’re really deep,” Gealer said. “James kind of broke [La Cañada’s] Josh Kim down in the first round and set the tone for the match.”
Realizing how formidable the Titans (8-3, 6-0 in league) singles lineup is and down two starters, Moravec went for broke in doubles putting his No. 2 and 3 singles players — Andre Danuns and Ryan Lee, respectively — in doubles.
It didn’t play out as hoped, as San Marino’s Robert Carter and Timothy Duong won both sets, 6-0, 7-5, before being subbed out in the third set.
The Titans No. 3 doubles team, Mark Lew and Matt Hsiau, won both sets, 6-3, 6-3, as La Cañada (6-5, 2-3) defaulted its final doubles set.
“[The Titans] singles are just so good,” Moravec said. “Nicolas, Danny and James aren’t going to give you anything and after that it was really up to our doubles, but [San Marino’s doubles teams] are just too good.”
The Spartans got two wins from Tyler Jones and Lee in No. 2 doubles, 6-4, 6-1, and their final win from Leeho Lim and Danuns in No. 1 doubles.
andrew.shortall@latimes.com