Not enough games for Corona del Mar boys

Corona del Mar High’s No. 2 doubles team had all its shots working in the last match Tuesday at Peninsula High. The finished CdM players cheering for them on an adjacent court liked the effort they were showing against Peninsula’s No. 1 team of Michael Aston and Jordan Rees.

Rhodes and Pham won the match as a volley went long, tying the sets score in the CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinal at 9-9.

But, as the Sea Kings and Panthers players gathered on the court to count games, it became clear that the math wasn’t on CdM’s side.

No. 5-seeded Peninsula escaped with a 74-71 victory on games, ending No. 4-seeded Corona del Mar’s season.

The Sea Kings (16-4) never led the match and dug a hole for themselves early. Peninsula (18-4) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first go-round.

“We got off to such a good start,” Peninsula Coach Mike Hoeger said. “For our first doubles team to beat their first doubles team, 6-1, was pretty unexpected. And for Jon Kazarian to beat Chris Damion 6-1 [at No. 2 singles], in retrospect, those were the games that we used to pull ahead in games.”

But CdM refused to fold. Down, 4-2, after a go-round, the Sea Kings won four of six sets in the second go-round to tie the score at 6-6.

Fabian Matthews beat Kazarian, 6-4, surviving a three-deuce game while serving for the match. He also beat Peninsula’s Tyler Bowman, 6-4, avenging a loss from three days prior at the Anaheim Junior Tournament.

“So big,” Matthews shouted, his teammates repeating him as he blasted winner after winner.

But though the set score was tied at 6-6, CdM was also down three games, which would also turn out to be “so big.”

Matthews and the No. 1 doubles team of Dustin Hladek and Josh Kim both won their third sets. However, Peninsula effectively clinched the match when Mizuki Shibahara and Richard Yan beat CdM’s Hootan Mehr and Bryan Buchert, 6-4.

CdM Coach Tim Mang tinkered with his lineup Tuesday. Damion, who usually plays doubles with Rhodes, was put into the No. 2 singles spot and won one of three sets.

“Tim always comes up with a lineup that’s unexpected,” Hoeger said. “Having Damion in singles was something we didn’t anticipate.”

Mehr and Buchert also won one set but were competitive in all three, something that Mang said he saw as a positive.

“The first round really put us behind,” said Mang, who watched his team lose in the quarterfinals for the second straight year. “We almost came back, but I think we should have fought a little bit harder in the first round. I tell the kids you’ve just got to make the big points and not make so many …”

Mang stopped himself.

“We played well,” he said. “It was a good team playing on their own courts. It’s really tough to play here, but the kids hung in there pretty well.”

Hoeger admitted that the Panthers, who won a coin flip to host the match, do have a home-court advantage. The winds that frequently pass through can be particularly tough to deal with.

“It’s a windy day, and it’s up on the hill,” Hoeger said. “That’s something we’re used to. You can’t help but think that’s going to give you a few games too, if not sets.”

A few games — all Peninsula needed to end CdM’s season.

MATT SZABO may be reached at (714) 966-4614 or at matthew.szabo@latimes.com.

CIF Southern SectionQuarterfinal -- Matthews (CdM) def. Bowman, 6-4, def. Kazarian, 6-4, def. Ridout, 6-1; Damion (CdM) lost, 1-6, 1-6, won, 6-0; Peyton (CdM) lost, 0-6, 1-6, 3-6.

Division I Playoffs

Peninsula 9, Corona del Mar 9

(Peninsula wins on games, 74-71)

Singles

Doubles -- Hladek-Kim (CdM) lost to Aston-Rees, 1-6, def. Brown-Wang, 6-1, def. Shibuhara-Yan, 6-1; Rhodes-Pham (CdM) won, 6-4, lost, 3-6, won, 6-1; Mehr-Buchert (CdM) lost, 3-6, 4-6, won, 6-4.

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES — Parker Rhodes and Brent Pham were surging.