Boys tennis: Back to square one

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - Last year, Estancia High’s boys tennis team had

trouble fielding a junior varsity team. This year, the Eagles had trouble

fielding a team, period.

Estancia had to take on four players who never played tennis to field a

complete varsity squad, giving new boys tennis coach Tina Holding quite a

challenge.

“They’re hard working,” she said of her players. “They really want to

learn, and as a coach, that’s something I enjoy.”

The Eagles do have four returning players, and junior D.J. Glacy is on

the top of that list. Glacy is entering his third year with the varsity,

and is the returning No. 1 singles player.

Senior Bernardo Trujillo, the No. 3 singles player last year, moves up to

the No. 3 spot. Junior Mark Leones will occupy the No. 3 position.

Junior Pablo Perez and returning varsity member Creighton Chun form the

No. 1 doubles team. Brian Alvergue, another returnee, teams with senior

Pyrom Duch to form No. 2 doubles.

Holding will rely on three freshmen, Ishaad Mumtaz, Luis Valdez and Lee

Dawid, to rotate through the No. 3 doubles position.

Holding, an Estancia alumni who is also the coach of Tustin’s girls

varsity team, knows this season will be rough.

“I wish we had more guys,” she admitted.

But she sees this as a chance for Estancia’s tennis program to start a

solid foundation. It’s season began Thursday against El Modena.

“We’re a very young team,” Holding said. “My goal is to get them better

from where they are at the beginning of the year at the end of the

season.”

Roster

Brian Alverque Jr.

Creighton Chun So.

Lee Dawid Fr.

Pyrom Duch Sr.

D.J. Glacy Sr.

Mark Leones Jr.

Ishaad Mumtaz Fr.

Pablo Perez Jr.

Bernardo Trujillo Sr.

Luis Valdez Fr.

Coach: Tina Holding