Tourney opens today

Eight years ago, Tim Mang took his Corona del Mar High boys’ tennis team to Kansas City, Mo., for a tournament with schools from around the country.

There weren’t enough courts, matches were played back-to-back and, after competing until 1 a.m., no awards were given to the players.

Following the experience, Mang vowed to do a national tournament the “right way.” Today will mark the start of the seventh annual National High School Tennis All-American Boys’ Team Invitational Tournament.

Mang touted it as the only tournament in the country with top teams from across the U.S. Sixteen teams ? six from out of state and one from Canada ? will compete, playing at five locations over two days.

Teams were seeded based on player rankings and competition. Torrey Pines of San Diego is the top seed, with four players ranked in the top-50 in the Southern California Tennis Assn. among those 18-and-under.

“Their top three players are nationally ranked,” Mang said. “They are very deep. They’re solid. They’ve won the San Diego CIF [Division I Section Championship] 14 of the past 16 years.”

Dana Hills, seeded No. 2, is the top team in Orange County. Senior Shan Sondhu is ranked No. 11 by the U.S. Tennis Assn. for 18s.

No. 3 seed Santa Barbara is the defending champion and returns a strong team.

“They don’t have any big shining player,” Mang said. “But they have depth and experience.”

Corona del Mar has already faced No. 4 seeded Brentwood and lost, 12-6. Brentwood’s top three players have played four years of varsity tennis.

The Sea Kings, unranked for the first time in the tournament, will open against Christ Church Episcopal School of Greenville, S.C. at 8 a.m. at Palisades Tennis Club. The winner will face either Santa Barbara or Sacred Heart Preparatory of Atherton.

Corona del Mar won the tournament three straight years before finishing third last year.

Will Guzick, Christ Church’s top player, is ranked No. 40 by the USTA in 18s. Guzick will face Sea Kings sophomore Fabian Matthews, ranked No. 62 by the USTA in 16s.

“[Guzick] was No. 1 in the 16s last year,” Mangs said. “My guys are used to playing the top players. They’ll get excited and nervous.”dpt.24-tennis-2-smc-BPhotoInfoF51P9BSM20060324igihpmkfDAILY PILOT(LA)Fabian Matthews will lead the Sea Kings into today’s National High School Tennis All-American Boys’ Invitational Team Tournament.