Girls tennis: Sealing the deal

Steve Virgen

CLAREMONT - For all the victories, respect and laurels the Corona

del Mar High girls tennis team has earned this season, a defeat today at

10:30 a.m. in the CIF Southern Section Division IV final against Palm

Desert would mean practically a waste of a season.

That’s what Sea Kings Coach Andy Stewart believes and that’s why he’s

still pushing his squad to overcome one more opponent for what would be a

23-0 record and the Division IV championship.

“We had a pretty great season,” Stewart said. “If we lose Monday, kind

of everything is for naught.”

Stewart, in his third year at the Sea Kings’ helm, guided CdM to the

Division IV title last year against Calabasas, which lost to Palm Desert

in this year’s semifinal Thursday.

The Palm Desert Aztecs won, 10-8, in a match which Calabasas used a

substitute for two sets because its No. 2 singles player was injured.

The best chance for the Aztecs to pull off an upset is if CdM becomes

unglued and beats itself, Stewart said. Before the playoffs, senior

Brittany Reitz, who was voted out of CIF individual competition this

season by Pacific Coast League coaches, pondered sitting out the

postseason because of several team issues. However, Stewart said the Sea

Kings have worked through their differences and expect to overcome the

turmoil and savor the reward afterward.

The proof of the Sea Kings’ cohesiveness came in their 16-2 semifinal

victory over Harvard-Westlake Thursday. Reitz, who has experienced back

pain in the playoffs, Stewart said, played doubles with her close friend

and senior teammate, Brittany Minna to win three sets.

“It seemed like a good time for them,” Stewart said of Minna and

Reitz. “For us to lose, some things have to come unscrewed. But it’s all

worked out.”

Junior Anne Yelsey is the Sea Kings No. 1 singles player, but Reitz,

who won the CIF individual title last year, and sophomore Brittany

Holland also have dominated foes.

“Holland had three big wins against Harvard-Westlake,” Stewart said.

“She’s our No. 3 and at a lot of schools, she would be the best player on

that team.

“We have incredible depth,” he continued. “We have good players up

top. We have a healthy singles team. Then we have depth at doubles. You

can’t stack your doubles against us because we have good doubles. Teams

just don’t have enough players. If you try to play us straight up in

singles, you kind of hit the wall.”

Senior Leslie Damion, the Sea Kings’ captain, is looking to close out

her final prep season in grand fashion. She will team up with junior

Taylynn Snyder to form a doubles duo that has consistently dominated

opponents this season.