Hoffmann among Ojai favorites
After Bjorn Hoffmann lost in the CIF singles division title match at last year’s Ojai Tennis Tournament, both he and CdM Coach Jamie Gresh talked about making a run at the title this year.
The time to mount that attempt has arrived for the Corona del Mar High senior. Hoffmann and other local high school players begin play Thursday at the 116th edition of the prestigious tournament.
Hoffmann, bound for Cal, plays Gilbert Chung of Campbell Hall in his opening round match Thursday at 8 a.m. at Ojai’s The Thacher School. Sage Hill School’s Adam Langevin also opens Thursday morning in the CIF singles draw. He’ll play Andrew Leahy of Claremont at the same time and venue.
Three local teams are entered into the CIF doubles division draw. CdM’s brother tandem of Pedro and Diego Fernandez del Valle open against Ian and Jack Freer of St. Francis on Thursday at 11 a.m., at OSU. Sage Hill’s Zach Washer and Josh Watkins will play Nikita Horunzhy and Jacob Quijano of Chaminade on Thursday at 11 a.m. at V. And Newport Harbor’s David Lee and Mark Schaefer play Parker McBride and David Woodland of West Ranch at the same time at Thacher School.
Both CIF divisions continue through Saturday, with championship matches scheduled to be played at Libbey Park.
A Level 3 United States Tennis Assn. junior tournament is also taking place simultaneously in town as another part of “The Ojai.” Corona del Mar High’s Danielle Willson and Jasie Dunk, as well as Newport Beach resident Mackenzie Worsnop, are all in the girls’ 18 singles draw, while CdM’s Siena Sharf is playing doubles with Layla Rodriguez of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Costa Mesa resident Maxi Duncan is the No. 9 seed in the girls’ 16 singles draw, and Newport Beach’s Leyden Games and Ayline Esina Samardzic are competing in the girls’ 14 singles.
Newport Beach residents Austin Di Giulio and Andre Saleh are both No. 9 seeds in the boys’ 16 singles, which also has Sage Hill School freshman Emin Torlic competing. Di Giulio has had success at this tournament, as he won the boys’ 14 singles title at The Ojai two years ago.
Newport Beach resident Max McKennon is the No. 1 seed in the boys’ 14 singles draw.
The Orange Coast College men’s and women’s tennis teams are also playing at The Ojai, in the California Community College Championships. The Pirates men have Elmer Van Butselaar, Sergio Palacios and Tam Duong competing in singles. Duong and Palacios, as well as Van Butselaar, are competing as doubles teams.
OCC’s Clarissa Colling is the No. 3 seed in women’s singles, where teammate Karen Trinh also is competing. Colling and Trinh are the top seeds in the women’s doubles draw, where the Pirates’ Cece Arazaga and Kaitlyn Dahlberg also will vie.
The Ojai is North America’s oldest and largest amateur tournament taking place at the same location. The Pac-12 men’s tennis championship will also take place this weekend at Libbey Park.
Tournament draws, daily schedules and results, tickets and general information can be found at The Ojai’s website, www.ojaitourney.org.
