Boys’ tennis: Eagles still flying high above Northern League foes

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It seems all the talk in the City this year has centered on two teams: Taft and Palisades. They are dominating their respective leagues and are clearly the favorites to return to the section final.

Eagle Rock, however, could also be a factor when the playoffs roll around. Its lineup is much the same as the one that lived up to its No. 4 seed by reaching the semifinals last spring, and yet the Eagles have been flying under the radar all season.

Led by Joseph Valentino, J.C. Leonardo, Irving Martinez, Kevin Parducho and Ramon DeVilla, Eagle Rock clinched its 13th Northern League title in 14 years Wednesday in a 6-1 rout of Marshall at Vermont Canyon.

An early sign that Eagle Rock just might have the depth needed to go all the way was its 4-3 nonleague loss to Taft on March 3 in which the Eagles swept all three doubles matches against the reigning City champions.

The Eagles will attempt to defend the tournament crown when they host the sixth annual Hal Stepteau Invitational on Saturday.

-- Steve Galluzzo

-- Image from www.the-rock.lausd.k12