Woodbridge, Sunny Hills No Strangers to Tennis Finals

Top-seeded Woodbridge will attempt to win consecutive Southern Section Division I boys’ tennis titles today at USC against second-seeded Los Angeles Loyola, and top-seeded Sunny Hills goes for its fourth Division II title in the 1990s against second-seeded Santa Margarita at Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club. Both matches begin at 3:15.

Woodbridge won the title last year by upsetting top-seeded and eight-time defending champion Santa Barbara in the semifinals and second-seeded Palos Verdes Peninsula in the finals. This year, the unbeaten Warriors have won 24 consecutive matches. The only team that threatened the Warriors--Peninsula--was eliminated by Loyola, 11-7, in the semifinals.

Based on the teams’ comparative scores against Corona del Mar, the match figures to be close. Loyola defeated Corona del Mar, 13-5, and Woodbridge beat the Sea Kings by scores of 13-5, 14-4 and 14-4.

Loyola (23-1) has three strong singles players--seniors James Bell, David Becker and Joey Zupan. Becker lost in the Mission League semifinals. Bell won the league singles tournament and advanced two rounds into the sectionals before defaulting because of a foot injury that since has healed. Zupan is the Cubs’ highest-ranking junior player.

Loyola, which has won three section boys’ tennis titles but none since 1985, is led in doubles by the team of Paul Moore and Jason Stewart, who lost in the section individual semifinals to eventual champions Peter Gladkin and Brock Berry of Palm Desert.

Though Woodbridge got a scare from Peninsula, the Warriors probably would have preferred to play a team they were more familiar with.

“Loyola is the mystery team,� Woodbridge doubles player Reza Farokhpay said. “We don’t know anything about them other than that doubles team.�

The Division II final also should be close. Sunny Hills (17-3) and Santa Margarita (21-3) have advanced to the title match because of their depth. Each team has two solid singles players and two solid doubles teams, though Sunny Hills has the most dominant singles player in Chris Chung (27-3).

“I think there will be a lot of close sets,� Santa Margarita Coach Doug Williams said. “Whoever wins the majority of those will probably come out on top. Chris is a top-notch player. I hope that we can slow him down a little bit.�