By Pete Borello

Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier

Boys Tennis Playoffs

SF stopped in semis

Menlo also eliminated St. Francis from the playoffs, blanking the Lancers 7-0 on May 8.

No. 4 St. Francis (21-4) failed to win a set against the host Knights. Top player Ngon Huynh lost 6-1, 6-1 to Pade.

Bells edge Gunn

When facing the powerful Menlo School boys tennis team, even the smallest victories are a big deal.

That’s why Los Altos High can take some satisfaction in last Thursday’s 6-1 loss to the Knights in the Central Coast Section Division II final at Courtside Tennis Club in Los Gatos.

“Menlo came in thinking they would sweep us,” Eagles coach Cuong Duong said. “That’s what they did to us last year, but this time we were more competitive. The kids believed in themselves.”

Of the three teams top-seeded Menlo faced in the playoffs, No. 2 Los Altos was the only squad to avoid the broom.

The Eagles’ victory came at No. 2 doubles, where Blake Phillips and Nathan Fenner beat Daniel Solomon and Scott Blumenkranz 6-2, 7-5.

“They played very well,” Duong said of his duo. “I’m happy with them.”

Duong also praised the play of his top doubles team, Chuck-Hwang and Mike Sherbakov, and No. 3 singles player Eddie Kane, who took their opponents to three sets. Hwang-Sherbakov lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to David Oehm-Steven Golod, while sophomore Kane fell 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Frank Walters.

“Our No. 1 doubles played pretty well,” Duong said. “And Eddie Kane did well; he was leading 4-1 in the third set. Then (Walters) started to play a little better.”

Los Altos (14-4) struggled in the other singles matches, losing all three in straight sets.

Duong said top player Jon Wong “played OK” in a 6-3, 6-2 loss to James Pade.

A back injury forced No. 2 player Reid Phillips to forfeit his match against Patrick Mackay in the first set. Phillips first hurt his back in Los Altos’ 4-3 semifinal win over Mills on May 8.

At No. 4 singles, Menlo’s David Kaplan cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Mark Schopmeyer.

The Eagles’ other loss of the day came at No. 3 doubles, as Derek Chan-David Wong proved no match for Dan Saper-Chris Harris in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat.

This is the fourth straight year Los Altos has lost to Menlo (21-3) in the CCS playoffs. The Knights, coached by Los Altos resident Bill Shine, have won four consecutive CCS crowns.

“They get players from all over the area and we can’t compete with that,” Duong said of Menlo’s dominance.

The Eagles and Knights have collided in the last two CCS final matches and faced off in the semifinals the two previous years.

With both teams returning several key players - Los Altos graduates only Reid Phillips - don’t be surprised if they meet again in 2002.

“At the end, (Shine) said, ‘See you next year,’” Duong said. “I’m looking forward to next season.”

Gunn dropped a 4-3 decision to Bellarmine in a Division I semifinal held May 8 at Santa Clara University.

The third-seeded Titans won a pair of singles matches, getting wins from Alex Linares at No. 2 and Mike Sun at No. 4.

Gunn (13-7) also beat the second-seeded Bells at No. 3 singles, where Sunjay Dodani and Ram Parimi prevailed in straight sets.