Boys tennis: Big dogs collide at CIF Division V finals

Tony Altobelli

CLAREMONT - Corona del Mar High boys tennis coach Tim Mang called

the first Sea Kings-Brentwood showdown on March 13, “an unbelievable

match.” And that was just a nonleague tilt four matches into the season.

Seventy-eight days later, the two powerhouses meet once again in

today’s CIF Southern Section Division V finals at the Claremont Club,

beginning at 11:30. The adjectives, as well as the level of tennis,

should be at an all-time high. In the previous encounter, CdM pulled out

a dramatic 10-8 victory.

“This is the two best teams in CIF going at it,” CdM Coach Tim Mang

said. “We’ve both played Peninsula plus other top teams in CIF and we’ve

both been victorious over them. This is what we’ve been waiting for.”

Coach Keith Sarkisian’s Eagles (14-1), champions in the Delphic League

and seeded No. 2 in Division V, ride an 11-match winning streak since

their loss to the Sea Kings.

“This one is going to come right down to the wire,” Mang said. “Just

like the last time.”

This year in the playoffs, Brentwood has posted blowout wins over

Windward (18-0), Northwood (16-2), Crespi (18-0) and third-seeded San

Marino (14-4).

The top-seeded Sea Kings (22-0), champions of the Pacific Coast

League, breezed past Orange Lutheran (18-0), Webb (12-6) and St.

Bonaventure (15-3) before rallying to defeat fourth-seeded Harvard

Westlake (11-7).

In their previous showdown with the defending Division IV champion

Eagles, the Sea Kings dominated in singles, winning seven of nine sets,

while struggling in doubles, losing six of nine.

“Our No. 1 doubles team (Peter Kulmaticki and Michael Bean) is going

to have to win two sets and if our No. 2 (Justin Ning and Randy Myers)

and No. 3 doubles (Shaan Wadhwa and Ryan Stockwell can beat their No. 3

singles, we’ve got a shot at it,” Mang said. “If Peter and Michael are on

their game, I don’t think anyone can beat them.”

CdM’s Garrett Snyder posted three wins in singles, including a 7-6

(7-5 in the tiebreaker) thriller over Eagles’ No. 1 singles standout Sean

McKean, which proved to be the deciding set in the match.

McKean, who was able to win both of his other two sets prior to the

showdown with Snyder, led the sophomore, 3-4, before Snyder battled back

to win.

Mang is looking for solid play from UC Irvine-bound Brian Morton,

especially against McKean.

“McKean is a very talented athlete,” Mang said. “If Brian can knock

off Sean early, that can build momentum for Cameron and Garrett against

him. Hopefully, Brian will wear Sean down.”

CdM survived its first test of the playoffs against Harvard-Westlake,

Friday. After falling behind, 4-2, after the first round of sets, the Sea

Kings, led by junior Cameron Ball, regained their confidence and

outlasted the Wolverines.

Ball was victorious, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0, the only Sea King to sweep all

three sets.

Myers and Ning overcame a tough, 6-7 loss in their first set to post a

6-4 win against the Wolverines’ No. 1 doubles team of Chris Shepherd and

Steven Gersh and a 6-3 win over Chris Hum and Greg Sher.

The doubles team of Kulmaticki and Bean, as well as Snyder and Morton

in singles, also won two sets each. “I’m still not quite sure, but I

think our order of play might get changed up for Brentwood,” Mang said.