Sage Hill boys’ tennis hopes for deep CIF run

Next week, the Sage Hill School boys’ tennis team will focus on trying to win the CIF Southern Section Division 2 title. The playoffs brackets come out Monday, and the Academy League champion Lightning will host a first-round match on Wednesday.

This week? This week there has been a different focus, first-year Sage Hill Coach Zoran Korac said.

“This week is a little different because of the [Advanced Placement] tests,” Korac said. “That’s what they’re focusing on. But definitely after this week, they’ll turn their attention to the team playoffs. We realize what a great position we’re in, and how we have a chance to do well if not win the entire division.”

Sage Hill finished the regular season 13-1, easily sweeping through the Academy League with a 10-0 record. It remains to be seen if they will sweep through CIF, though they are ranked No. 3 in Division 2, behind only Yorba Linda and Redlands. Newport Harbor is ranked No. 5 in Division 2, while another local team, Fountain Valley, is tied for 10^th.

Sage Hill lost to Walnut in the second round of the Division 2 playoffs last season. In 2015, the Lightning fell to eventual champion Santa Margarita in the semifinals. The Sage program has won one CIF title, capturing the Division 3 title in 2011.

Like that year’s squad, the 2017 Lightning boast a deep team and a strong singles lineup. It’s anchored by senior Adam Langevin, who made the round of 16 last week at Ojai, at the No. 1 position. Freshman Rohun Krishnan plays No. 2 singles and sophomore Emin Torlic is at No. 3.

But Korac has shown he can switch things up if the situation warrants. He put Langevin in doubles with Steven Ferry last month as Sage Hill stunned Corona del Mar, 10-8, beating the Sea Kings for the first time in program history.

“I think they ate it up,” Korac said of the players’ reaction to that win. “They knew they beat a powerhouse, a team like Corona del Mar that is currently ranked No. 8 in Division 1. Unfortunately, [CdM’s No. 1 singles player] Kyle [Pham] was [injured]. However, even if Kyle was there, I’m not saying we would win, but it just shows everyone that we’ve arrived. We’re a good tennis program, we have a good tennis team.

“I know that also fired up all the people that are surrounding the Sage tennis program, not just the kids but the parents, the donors and the school.”

The Academy League individuals results also can fire Korac up. The tournament concluded Thursday, with Langevin beating Krishnan in the singles final, 6-2, 6-1. In doubles, Ferry and Torlic won the title after beating a team from St. Margaret’s in the final, 6-3, 6-4.

Now, Korac hopes to help another team come out on top at the end of the season. He is an assistant coach for the Irvine Valley College men’s program, and the Lasers won their third straight California Community College Athletic Assn. state title last week.

But he also knows that a successful program is not defined by a single season. Next year, Korac said he hopes to line up nonleague matches against teams like his alma mater of San Marino High, as well as University.

“I don’t understand why we wouldn’t be playing University, when we’re a good tennis team and they’re obviously a powerhouse,” Korac said. “San Marino as well. I want to put Sage Hill as a real powerhouse tennis program, even though we only have 500 kids [at the school]. But that’s how we’ll possibly attract other good tennis players coming up, in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades, to come to our school.”

CIF swim entries revealed Saturday

This week is league finals week for nearly every Orange County league in swimming, but some swimmers will continue their season next week as well.

The CIF Southern Section will release entries for next week’s divisional finals on Saturday. Some already know they’re in, as they have automatic times in their respective events. But those swimmers and relay teams with consideration times will need to wait until Saturday to see if they make the cut for their division.

The divisional championships will take place next week at Riverside City College, beginning with diving on Monday (Divisions 2 and 3) and Tuesday (Divisions 1 and 4).

Preliminaries and finals for swimming will follow Wednesday through Saturday. Swimmers and relay teams with the top nine times at prelims advance to the championship finals in that event, while those with the 10^th-18^th fastest times at prelims make the consolation finals.

Here’s a look at the schedule for local swimmers, with all divisions at Riverside City College:

Division 1 (Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor, Marina, Edison, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach): Preliminaries Thursday at 9 a.m., finals Saturday at 5 p.m.

Division 2 (Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, Estancia, Sage Hill): Prelims Friday at 9 a.m., finals Saturday at 11 a.m.

Division 4 (Ocean View, Los Amigos): Prelims Wednesday at 10 a.m., finals Friday at 5 p.m.

[email protected]

Twitter: @mjszabo