The Los Altos boys ended their tennis season with a respectable 12-5 record — and two second-place league finishes and a second overall in the CCS playoffs.
Seeded third, the Eagles stormed into the CCS tournament by defeating Leigh and Monta Vista en route to the finals match on May 11. It was there where Los Altos would lose to Bellarmine 4-3 in a close CCS championship match-up, marking the second year in a row in which Bellarmine ended the Eagles’ tennis season.
Denny Fafek went to the CCS singles tournament representing Los Altos, but the unseeded junior drew top-ranked Steven Benvenuto as his opening round opponent. Fafek was defeated by Benevento, who eventually won the entire tournament, but he gave the Aragon High School senior his toughest match in the tournament, forcing a third and final set.
Fafek is a top prospect to take the CCS crown next season.
Mountain View boys took division title
“This year’s boys’ tennis team at MVHS was strong,” said Frank Smyth, “the strongest in my six years as coach.” The Spartans finished the spring season with an 11-4 overall record and the El Camino Division Championship.Mountain View advanced to the second round of CCS under the leadership of seniors John Doty and Aaron Shaw and on strong performances all around, including that of freshman Toki Sherbakov.
“A star emerged this year,” Smyth said of Sherbakov, who was ranked No. 1 in division singles play at season’s end, “He established himself as an elite high school player.”
The Spartans defeated Milpitas 5-2 in Round One and would later lose to Bellarmine 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Next year, Mountain View will move up to the De Anza division, or what Coach Smyth calls “The premier tennis division in Santa Clara Valley.” With Sherbakov and several other players set to return, the Spartans hope to contend against a much tougher slate of competition.
Lancers struggled in WCAL
St. Francis struggled in the West Catholic Athletic League this spring, ending their boys tennis season in sixth place with a 6-13 record. The Lancers sent two seniors to compete in the CCS doubles tournament, Calvin Leung and Nik Marathe, although both would fall early in Round One.The year was the first for head coach Dudley Battle, and athletic director Michael Pilawski showed great appreciation for Battle’s work.
“I’m excited about the program he’s going to build and the philosophies he has,” Pilawski said. The Lancers have had three coaches in the past four years, but Battle appears to be solidifying a St. Francis program that has a lot of potential.
— Justin Bull
