CdM, Warriors clash for crown

The Corona del Mar High girls’ tennis team has already been tested once this year by Troy.

CdM beat the Warriors, 5-4, in the finals of the CdM Girls’ All-American Tournament on Oct. 14.

Just over a month later and in a different format, Coach Brian Ricker and his top-seeded Sea Kings expect another challenge from Troy today at 10 a.m. in the CIF Southern Section Division I championship match at the Claremont Club.

“They have the potential to win a lot of points, if they have an on-day and we have an off-day,” Ricker said. “They have a very good singles player in Alison Ramos, who has the potential to get three points, and two good doubles teams.”

Troy (21-2), the Freeway League champion and No. 3 seed, knocked off Palos Verdes, 12-6, in the Division I semifinals. The Warriors — formerly of Division II — are in the championship match for the eighth straight season.

Ramos, a junior, is 44-0 on the year.

But CdM (23-0), which also beat Troy, 14-4, in a nonleague match in September, has its share of weapons.

Senior Jill Damion is 40-3 on the year at No. 1 singles, sophomore Cierra Gaytan-Leach is 31-5 and freshman Hailey Hogan is 50-6.

Senior twins Hayley and Miranda Young are 49-1 on the season at No. 1 doubles. Other doubles players include Lindsay Zotovich, Melissa Matsuoka, Karen Ishii, Danielle Kaiden, Flora Lee, Michelle Atkins and Kelly McKitterick.

All seven players have at least 36 wins on the season and under seven losses.

“Those are awesome records, considering the competition we play,” Ricker said.

Matsuoka won the Pacific Coast League singles title. Damion and Gayton-Leach captured the PCL doubles championship. They are in the Round of 16 in the CIF individual tournament.

In the traditional, 18-set format, CdM had its closest match of the year in an 11-7 nonleague win over Peninsula on Sept. 27. Peninsula was beaten in the playoff quarterfinals by Calabasas, who the Sea Kings beat, 14-4, in the semifinals on Thursday.

Ricker said his team was getting a bit burned out toward the end of the year, but a recent two-week stretch with no competition but the PCL finals helped recharge some batteries.

“They’re all excited and motivated,” Ricker said. “We’ve done a lot to prepare for this. They’re ready to go.”