It’s the singles life for La Cañada, Flintridge Prep and St. Francis tennis
Singles is where the La Cañada High, St. Francis and Flintridge Prep boys’ tennis teams will look for the majority of their points this season.
The Spartans will be looking to improve on their third-place finish in the Rio Hondo League, while the Golden Knights and Rebels aim at playoff berths after missing out on the postseason in 2012.
There aren’t many questions surrounding La Cañada, which only graduated three players, with two-thirds of its team that advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs before it was bounced by Calabasas in the opener, 17-1, back in the lineup.
“Joshua Kim and Ryan Lee are back, so our singles should be strong,” La Cañada High Coach Will Moravec said of his No. 1 and 2 singles players, respectively, “but we have to look for our top doubles team.”
La Cañada’s doubles lineup figures to be filled with seniors, including Lewon Lim, Joe Song, Leeho Lim and Harrison Zuk. For the second year in a row, Lewon Lim and Song, Leeho Lim and Zuk will join forces, leaving Moravec to piece together his final doubles team and who his No. 1 squad will be.
The Spartans finished 2012 with a 10-7, 4-4 in league record. Moravec thinks his team is poised to move up the league standings after taking third behind San Marino, which enters the season ranked ninth in Division I, and Temple City.
“We’re looking at second place,” Moravec said. “Temple City lost both of its top singles players from last year, so that’s six points out of their lineup.”
St. Francis and Flintridge Prep missed the playoffs last season, while the Rebels will look to qualify for the postseason under new coach Hratchia Sargsyan.
St. Francis will be buoyed with a starting singles lineup that will feature Kristian Estebe, Alex Kavakian and Mustafa El Harazi.
“We have three very good singles players and that’s where we will try to get most of our points,” St. Francis Coach Ron Zambrano said. “I think we can be in good shape if we can get one very good doubles team.”
At Flintridge Prep, the Rebels will look to regroup under Sargsyan, who begins his first head-coaching job.
The Rebels will bring back singles players Albert Lee, Koby Hayashi and Reilly Dolleska. They will be joined by William Dixon, who will see time at singles and doubles.
“I expect a lot of concentration from them, but I also want them to have fun,” Sargsyan said. “It’s all about being able to make the little adjustments in a match and that’s where I can try to help them.”