McKennon highlights Junior Sectionals entrants

Moving up an age group can be a tricky thing in junior tennis.

Newport Beach’s Max McKennon turned 15 last month, so he moved up from the 14s to the 16s. But he looks to continue his strong recent play as a big tournament gets underway.

The 115th annual Southern California Junior Sectionals, which have Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club in Fountain Valley as their main site, start Saturday. The Junior Sectionals are a Level 1 tournament, and they’re also the largest annual junior tennis tournament in the country.

McKennon, who recently advanced to the CIF Individuals singles semifinals to conclude his freshman year at Newport Harbor High, is the No. 2 seed in the 16s at Junior Sectionals. The top seed in the division is Matthew Mu of La Jolla.

“It feels good,” McKennon said. “I’ve never really been seeded that high. I think the highest I’ve ever been is a 16 seed, so that feels really good. But I can’t come in too overconfident about it. I’ve just got to play tennis.”

McKennon has had rapid growth, in terms of his game and his height as he now stands 6-foot-3. He helped the Sailors advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinals this season, their first time getting there since 2003, the year after McKennon was born.

He has never made it past the round of 16 at Junior Sectionals, he said, but he obviously looks to change that this year. As a seeded player, McKennon will start in the main draw beginning June 21st. Qualifying rounds begin Saturday.

“I’m very happy [with my tennis],” said McKennon, who also advanced to the title match of the Level 2 Woody Hunt tournament earlier this month. “I feel very confident right now. It’ll be a fun tournament … It’s up there. I love it, every single year.”

Other local players who are seeded in main draws and begin play June 21 include Newport Beach resident Rebecca Lynn, who is the top seed in the girls’ 14s. Other locals seeded in the girls’ 14s include Laguna Beach resident Ella Pachl at No. 5, and Huntington Beach resident Kaytlin Taylor at No. 9.

Two Di Giulio brothers from Newport Beach are seeded in their respective age divisions. Austin Di Giulio is No. 9 in the boys’ 18s, and his younger brother Perry is No. 5 in the boys’ 12s.

Laguna Beach resident Jagger Leach is the No. 6 seed in the boys’ 10s, which do not have a qualifying draw. Leach is the son of former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, and he opens his tournament Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Fountain Valley High against an opponent to be determined.

Newport Beach resident Julia Lilien is a No. 5 seed in the girls’ 18 singles main draw, with Laguna Beach native Sydney Van Alphen, who is now a freshman at USC, as a No. 9 seed in that draw.

Mika Ikemori, a Huntington Beach resident, is a No. 5 seed in the girls’ 12 singles main draw.

Leyden Games, a Newport Beach resident, is a No. 9 seed in the girls’ 16s field, with Huntington Beach resident Michael Vergara a No. 9 seed in the boys’ 16s draw.

Here are the local seeded players for the qualifying draws, which again begin on Saturday. The final 32 from qualifying reach the 64-player main draw for each age division.

Boys’ 18s: 9. Austin Johnson (Fountain Valley).

Boys’ 16s: 1. Dylan Taylor (Huntington Beach); 5. Diego Fernandez del Valle (Corona del Mar High); 5. Rohun Krishnan (Sage Hill School); 9. Jett Cole (Laguna Beach); 9. Emin Torlic (Sage Hill School); 17. Steven Ferry (Newport Beach/Sage Hill School).

Boys’ 14s: 1. JP Day (Corona del Mar); 3. Lawee Sherif (Huntington Beach); 17. Bradley Amor (Newport Coast).

Girls’ 18s: 5. Kelly Keller (Laguna Beach).

Girls’ 16s: 9. Roxy MacKenzie (Corona del Mar High).

Girls’ 14s: 9. Lauren Friedman (Newport Beach).

Girls’ 12s: 5. Jessica MacCallum (Laguna Beach); 9. Sienna Brooks (Newport Beach).

matthew.szabo@latimes.com

Twitter: @mjszabo