|
Sultana’s Tanatach Foythong plays during the Sultans’ loss to Santa Monica in the second round of the CIF-SS Division III playoffs on Saturday.
Sarah Alvarado / Staff Photographer
Sultana loses to Santa Monica in second round
HESPERIA — Sultana boys tennis coach Wayne Elliott had his hands full.
The Sultans lost to Santa Monica 15-3 in the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division III team playoffs Saturday at Sultana High to conclude their season.
Sophomore Trevor Gentry took two sets to lead the Sultans, and Tanatach Foythong won a set. Sultana was swept in doubles.
The Sultans, who finished second in the Mojave River League, dominated Highland 14-4 in the first round. But this time, they realized the level of competition is much higher Down the Hill.
“They have more players to choose from, more court time, coaches,” Elliott said about the Vikings. “You can’t compete with that.”
Gentry beat Kourosh Shaffy 6-4, and defeated Alex Baettig 6-0 by forfeit.
“I feel I contributed to the team,” Gentry said. “This year, we had a lot more players step up. I played better than I played last year.”
In February 2007, Gentry joined Spring Valley Lake Country Club in Victorville to work on his tennis skills year-round. He started playing in United States Tennis Association tournaments Down the Hill.
Elliott said he expects Gentry to be the top player in the Mojave River League next year.
Foythong, an exchange student from Bangkok, Thailand, said he wasn’t satisfied with the way he played Saturday. He had a lot fewer service aces compared to the MRL individual finals.
Foythong couldn’t hide his frustration as he threw his racket to the ground during a set against Baettig. Although Baettig didn’t have much power on his strokes, he returned Foythong’s ball consistently and put himself in an advantageous rally position.
“They just keep the ball in every time,” Foythong said. “I probably have to practice serve more.”
Although Foythong beat Shaffy 6-1 in the first set, he injured his ankle against Baettig and had to forfeit his final set.
Foythong won the MRL individual title and will head to the CIF-SS individual playoffs, which start May 16. Elliott hopes to see Foythong get to the second round.
“He’s hard to stop when his serve is on,” Elliott said.
SANTA MONICA SINGLES
Shaffy 1-6, 4-6, 6-0; Lai 6-0, 6-3, 6-1; Baettig 6-2, 0-6, 6-0.
SANTA MONICA DOUBLES
Pomerantz-Urtiz 6-2, 6-2, 6-3; Massey-Brown 6-0, 6-1, 6-2; Mahn-Benson 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.
SULTANA SINGLES
Foythong 6-1, 0-6, 2-6; Gentry 6-4, 3-6, 6-0; Labrada 0-6, 1-6, 0-6.
SULTANA DOUBLES
Heywood-Smith 2-6, 0-6, 1-6; Bishop-Bakas 2-6, 1-6, 3-6; Camarena-Cameron 3-6, 2-6, 1-6.
Tomoya Shimura can be reached at 951-6281 or tshimura@vvdailypress.com.
