Briefs: CdM player winning
Corona del Mar High incoming senior Lynda Xepoleas advanced to the round of 32 on Tuesday at the United States Tennis Assn. Girls’ 18 Nationals, held at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
No. 17-seeded Xepoleas defeated Hailey Johnson, 6-3, 6-3, in the round of 64. Xepoleas will face No. 7-seeded Whitney Kay, of Alpharetta, Ga., in the round of 32.
Sage Hill School graduate Julia Blakeley fell in the round of 64 to Samantha Critser, 6-0, 7-5. At the same venue, Newport Beach resident Mazy Watrous fell in the girls’ 16s nationals round of 64 to No. 17-seeded Emily Hahn, 6-4, 6-3.
At the girls’ 14s nationals in Peachtree City, Ga., Newport Beach resident Meredith Xepoleas is still alive in the consolation bracket in singles. Xepoleas and partner Maia Magill fell in the doubles quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-4, to Kellyn Abbanat and Sophia Abelson.
— Matt Szabo
Free tennis clinic Friday
The Tennis Club Newport Beach is holding a free junior tennis clinic from 1-5 p.m. Friday, serving as an introduction to the club’s new “Edge Tennis Academy.”
The academy features coach Iain Russell, who formerly coached Michael Chang and played on the ATP World Tour. The Tennis Club pro John Craig is the academy director.
Reservations are not required, but are encouraged for the free clinic and academy introduction day. For more information or to reserve a spot, call John Craig at (714) 648-0983 or e-mail jsctennis@gmail.com.
— From staff reports
Quartet competes
Sarah Furgatch, John Kim, Kelsey Larson and Garrett Larson, swimmers from Newport Beach, are competing in the Speedo Junior National Championships this week at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine.
Furgatch and the Larsons swim for Irvine Aquatzots, the club coached by Brian Pajer, the former UC Irvine swim coach.
Furgatch, a former Corona del Mar High standout who’s an incoming sophomore at Princeton, finished 55th in the 200-meter breaststroke (1 minute, 16.89 seconds) Monday.
She’ll also compete in the 100 breaststroke Thursday and the 200 individual medley Friday.
Kelsey Larson, an incoming sophomore at Nebraska and also a CdM alumna, is competing in the 100 breaststroke.
Garrett Larson, also of CdM, finished 117th in the 400 IM in 4:45.74, nearly a two-second drop off his best time.
Kim and Garrett Larson will be competing in the 100 breaststroke Thursday and the 200 IM Friday.
— From staff reports