One more to go

Newport Beach resident Kaes Van’t Hof defeated Jordan Delass, 6-4,

7-5, helping lead top-seeded Southern California to a 4-3 victory

over Southern in Monday’s semifinals of the 22nd Wachovia Junior

Davis Cup tennis tournament on the University of South Carolina

campus in Columbia, S.C.

Southern California, which also features Corona del Mar High

senior-to-be Carsten Ball, faces second-seeded Texas in the final at

noon today at the Sam Daniel Tennis Center.

Southern California claimed four of five singles sets Monday to

seal the victory while Southern took both doubles matches. Ball fell

to Southern’s Monte Tucker, 6-2, 6-0.

Texas, which advanced to today’s final with a 5-2 win over

Missouri Valley, and Southern California combine to have six of the

top 20 boys 18s players in the United States. Both teams are also the

only squads in a field of 17 which brought the top six players from

their respective sections.

Van’t Hof, who will attend USC this fall after starring at Mater

Dei, and Ball are ranked Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, in the United

States Tennis Association national point standings for boys 18s

singles.

The Junior Davis Cup features 100 of the top boys 18s players

representing teams from each of the USTA’s 17 sections.