Draws slimmed down at SCTA Junior Sectionals

Ten tennis locals remain alive in the 105th annual Southern California Junior Sectionals after action concluded Monday at various sites throughout Orange County.

Among those still alive in the draw are Joseph DiGiulio (boys’ 12s), Charlie Alvarado, Christopher Freeman and Omeed Ghassemi (boys’ 16s), and Fabian Matthews (boys’ 18 singles and doubles).

On the girls’ side, Jungyeun Lee, Hailey Hogan and Melissa Matsuoka (16 singles) remain, as does Jordan Heitzner remains in the 18 singles. Cierra Gaytan-Leach and Ali Walters are still alive in both the girls’ 18 singles and doubles.

Matches resume Thursday with doubles quarterfinal matches, with singles resuming on Friday.

In boys’ 18 singles, Corona del Mar High’s Matthews, who had a bye to the Round of 32, plays Benjamin Lankenau of Rancho Palos Verdes on Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley.

DiGiulio, the No. 1-ranked player in the country in boys’ 12s, got to the Round of 32 with a 6-0, 6-0 win Monday against Walnut’s Jonathan Chen.

CdM’s Ghassemi, who attends Mater Dei, advanced to the Round of 32 of the boys’ 16 singles draw with a 6-2, 6-4 victory Monday against Trevor Campbell of Burbank. Ghassemi will play Matthew Siow of Irvine, the No. 4 seed, in the Round of 32 on Friday at 11:45 a.m. at Santa Ana’s Cabrillo Tennis Center.

In the same division, Freeman and Alvarado, two Costa Mesa residents who also attend Mater Dei, both had byes to the Round of 32. Alvarado will play Torsten Keil-Long of Claremont on Friday at 10 a.m. at Los Cab, while Freeman plays Friday at noon at Cabrillo.

On the girls’ side, in the 18 singles draw, Heitzner defeated Jovanna Sangria of Long Beach, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, in the Round of 64 on Monday. Heitzner will play Samantha Smith Friday at 1 p.m. at Los Cab in the Round of 32.

CdM’s Gaytan-Leach took a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Natalie McCall of Altadena in the Round of 64. She’ll play Kaitlyn Christian Friday at 4 p.m. at Costa Mesa Tennis Center in the Round of 32.

Walters, of Newport Beach, is seeded No. 8 in the 18s draw and will start Friday in the Round of 32, with a match against Zoe Scandalis of San Diego at 1 p.m. at Los Cab.

In girls’ 16s, Hogan advanced following a 6-2, 6-1 victory Monday against Tiana Takenaga of Torrance. Hogan will play No. 2-seeded Sabrina Santamaria Friday at 10 a.m. at Los Cab.

Matsuoka defeated Meri Joy Gacayan, 6-4, 6-3, in the Round of 64 Monday. She’ll play No. 5-seeded Gabrielle Desimone Friday at 1 p.m. at Los Cab.

Lee, who made it to the Round of 32 with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Jessica Kwan of San Diego, will play Kristine Kouyoumjian Friday at 11:15 a.m. at Los Cab.

In doubles, Matthews and partner Ryan Cheung of Lomita, the No. 2 seed in the boys’ draw, plays Christopher and Alexander Frakes of San Diego in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Los Cab.

Gaytan-Leach and partner Jordan Dockendorf of Santa Barbara, the No. 4 seed on the girls’ side, play Walters and her partner, Taylor French of Calabasas, in the quarterfinals Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Los Cab.

Doubles semifinals are scheduled for later Thursday afternoon.

— Matt Szabo