2016 Boys Tennis Capsules
ARBOR VIEW
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Brian Griffin, third season
2015 record: 5-6 (4-4 Northwest, third)
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Treven Clizbe (Sr.), Brenden Wagner (Sr.), Luke Cordova (Sr.), John David (Jr.), Chad Decker (So.)
Outlook: Clizbe and Wagner teamed together in doubles last year. Cordova, David and Decker could make up the singles lineup on a given day.
“This year should be a good year for Arbor View boys tennis,” Griffin said. “We have some great returners who can help us win some matches as a team and some newcomers that are athletically gifted.
“With the changes in division, we will have some tougher competition, but I expect that our record should be around what we ended up last year as a team.”
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BASIC
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Bart Black, ninth season
2015 record: 4-8 (4-6 Southeast, fourth)
Returning lettermen: Ten
Top athletes: Thomas Romero (Sr.), Brennan Earl (Sr.), Gavin Mangan (Sr.), Nick Stellavato (Jr.), Garrison Stinnett (Jr.)
Outlook: Romero was a part of the doubles team that finished third in the Sunrise Region tournament last season. He likely will team with Earl this season and leads a list of 10 returnees for the Wolves.
“It’s an experienced team with a lot of returning players,” Black said. “We will battle for a playoff spot in a very competitive Southeast League.”
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BISHOP GORMAN
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Craig Witcher, 14th season
2015 record: 15-1 (8-0 Southwest, first)
Returning lettermen: Twelve
Top athletes: Lucas Hammond (So.), Cole Davidson (Jr.), Daniel Kinas (Sr.), Grant Rogers (Jr.), Michael Connors (Jr.), Blake Weissman (Jr.), Jack Silvestri (Sr.)
Outlook: The Gaels won their first state title since 1990 last year and hope to carry the momentum into this season. But the loss of two key seniors to graduation and their No. 1 singles player will make the road a bit more challenging.
“We have a solid core of returning players that will give us a successful season,” Witcher said.
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BONANZA
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Lindsay Powers, third season
2015 record: 3-9 (2-6 Northwest, fourth)
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Weston Clark (Sr.), Justin Balconi (Jr.), Mark Thuet (So.)
Outlook: Clark has the potential to compete against the best in singles.
The Bengals, though, lack depth with only six players on the roster.
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CLARK
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Clarence Chun, 11th season
2015 record: 15-0 (8-0 Sunset, first)
Returning lettermen: Eighteen
Top athletes: Aria Khiabani (So.), Dustin Mader (So.), Justin Ong (Jr.), Michael Pasimio (Jr.), Marcus Pasimio (Sr.), Shan Reddy (Jr.), Simran Shah (So.), Dakota Smith (Sr.), Teo Tabar (Jr.)
Outlook: Dominant might not be a strong enough word to describe Clark’s program the last four years. The Chargers won four straight Division I-A state titles and enter this season on a 65-match winning streak.
But, a move to Class 4A could put them up against some stiffer competition on a more consistent basis.
Clark returns the Pasimio brothers. Michael won the last two state singles titles in I-A. Marcus was part of the state champion doubles team the last two years in I-A.
“We want to be competitive, have fun and try to make the playoffs,” Chun said.
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CORONADO
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Luther Bohanan, 11th season
2015 record: 11-3 (8-2 Southeast, second)
Returning lettermen: Seven
Top athletes: Joshua Egbert (Sr.), Wesley Harris (Sr.)
Outlook: The winners of 11 consecutive Sunrise Region titles, the Cougars bring back seven lettermen.
But the team must replace its top two players after losing Sam Grant and Ryland McDermott to graduation. The two combined to win the state doubles title last year.
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DESERT OASIS
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Kelly Perryman, ninth season
2015 record: 7-3 (6-2 Northwest, second)
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Ben Gajardo (Sr.), Caiden Jacob (Jr.), Eliseo Wao-Udin (So.), Alejandro Romero (Sr.)
Outlook: Six lettermen return for the Diamondbacks, including Gajardo, a former state singles champion and a state semifinalist last year, when he finished 33-2.
Jacob was a regional quarterfinalist last year and finished 23-10. Romero (23-9) and Wao-Udin (19-9) also had successful seasons.
“We’re looking forward to playing five new schools in this realignment,” Perryman said.
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DESERT PINES
League: Class 3A Sunset League
Head coach: Jan Van Tuyl, first season
2015 record: 11-3 (6-1 Sunrise, second)
Returning lettermen: Five
Top athletes: Kevin Giron (Jr.), Adan Cano (Jr.), Kim Halasan (Sr.), Alfredo Murillo (So.), Oscar Murillo (Sr.)
Outlook: After a breakthrough season that saw the team finish second in the Division I-A Sunrise League, the Jaguars return five lettermen for Van Tuyl, who will coach both the boys and girls teams this season.
“It will be an interesting season,” Van Tuyl said. “The boys did quite well last year. It will be hard to do that well again. They have worked hard this summer, and I am pleased with what they have done, so we shall see.”
Van Tuyl expects to play doubles teams of Giron and Cano, and Halasan and Alfredo Murillo. Oscar Murillo is slotted in at singles with three new players aiming to fill spots.
“They are excited about the season and are looking forward to the learning experience,” Van Tuyl said. “Right now, they are having fun. That is the important thing. They will play hard and learn from every game.”
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DURANGO
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Rick Jacoby, first season
2015 record: 4-11 (2-6 Southwest, fourth)
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Jovan Lubura (Jr.), Filip Bosnajak (Sr.), Dylan Olivier (Sr.), Gabriel Villanueva (Sr.)
Outlook: Jacoby inherits a team that has eight returning lettermen, but lost its singles players to graduation.
On the doubles side, Lubura and Bosnajak went 23-21 last year.
“This is a rebuilding year,” Jacoby said. “The new head coach will bring added knowledge and ideas and more support to the program. We hope to continue to show improvement and build skills.”
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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Jeff Foley, sixth season
2015 record: 11-4 (6-2 Sunset, third)
Returning lettermen: Six
Top athletes: Maxwell Blum (So.), Donovan Evangelio (Jr.), Zach Smith (Jr.), Kyle Avery (Sr.)
Outlook: The Crusaders have some work to do after graduating nine seniors, including the program’s career wins record holder in Jack Stevens. Also departing was a state-qualifying doubles team.
“That, coupled with the move up to 4A, means that this season will present new challenges,” Foley said. “I feel this team is up to the challenge and the hard work during the offseason will pay off.”
The Crusaders didn’t flinch in Class 4A before, qualifying for the playoffs in both 2010 and 2011 before moving to Division I-A, and hope to return to the playoffs this year.
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FOOTHILL
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Mark Richards, 13th season
2015 record: 10-4 (7-3 Southeast, third)
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Ben Gonzalez (Sr.), Jacob Woodworth (Sr.), Ben Crawford (So.)
Outlook: On paper, the eight lettermen returning for Foothill looks really strong. But the Falcons do have some holes to fill this year.
“Having lost seven seniors to graduation, three of whom finished fifth or better at state individually, we will be looking to rebuild,” Richards said. “We only have three returning players who competed in the team and/or individual region tournament, so experience will not be on our side.
“Our goal, as always, will be to qualify for regionals as a team.”
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LIBERTY
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Kih Gourrier, 11th season
2015 record: 8-3 (7-1 Northeast, first)
Returning lettermen: Eight
Top athletes: Kevin Blomquist (Jr.)
Outlook: Blomquist was the Northeast League’s player of the year last year and is one of eight returning lettermen for the Patriots.
“It’s still a young team, but pretty consistent throughout the lineup,” Gourrier said. “Our team will have to work hard and play smart to advance far into the playoffs this season.”
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PALO VERDE
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Zach Brandt, 15th season
2015 record: 11-3 (6-2 Southwest, second)
Returning lettermen: Twelve
Top athletes: Dylan Levitt (Sr.), Brandon Sulzberg (Sr.), Michael Safbom (So.), Davis Waid (Sr.), Sam Soderberg (Sr.)
Outlook: Levitt won the state singles title last year after winning it as a freshman at Bishop Gorman and sitting out his sophomore season due to transfer rules.
He’ll be a favorite to win it again this year and leads a list of 12 letter winners for the Panthers, who advanced to the state title match and fell in a tiebreaker.
Sulzberg and Safbom teamed to finish in third in the state in doubles last season.
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RANCHO
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: Kenneth Michaud, first season
2015 record: 4-10 (2-8 Northeast, fifth)
Returning lettermen: Ten
Top athletes: Anjana Dissanayaka, Andrew Alves, Ojas Sali, Luis Moreno-Arias
Outlook: The Rams lost their top two singles players, but return 10 lettermen.
“The guys have worked hard this summer and are excited to start the season,” Michaud said. “If we strive to get better every day, we will be competitive in our league and compete for a playoff spot.”
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SHADOW RIDGE
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Arthur Cassman, second season
2015 record: 2-7 (2-6 Southwest, third)
Top athletes: Loren McHargue (Sr.), Kaden Bickmore (Sr.)
Outlook: The Mustangs qualified for the postseason last year and are hoping to return this year.
“We are really trying hard to build a tennis culture at Shadow Ridge and looking to finish in the top four of our league and earn a trip to regionals,” Cassman said.
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SIERRA VISTA
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Blair Ragsdale, first season
2015 record: 3-6 (3-5 Sunset, sixth)
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top athletes: Ryan McCoy (So.)
Outlook: McCoy was a quarterfinalist in the Southern Region singles tournament last year and is one of nine returnees for the Mountain Lions.
“We hope to compete in a more competitive division this year,” Ragsdale said.
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TECH
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Jerry Wang
2015 record: 1-6 (1-6 Sunrise, seventh)
Top athletes: Chuckie Custer (Fr.), Chris Custer (So.), Gabe Kermode (Jr.)
Outlook: The Roadrunners should be in better shape to pursue a playoff spot this season.
“The team will be a lot more competitive this year as we have a lot of players returning,” Wang said. “The kids will be scrappy in their attempt to gut out some wins.”
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VALLEY
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: Matt Porter, 12th season
2015 record: 6-7 (3-5 Northeast, fourth)
Returning lettermen: Two
Top athletes: A.J. Duff (Sr.), Nicholas Jianu (So.), Christian Howe (Fr.)
Outlook: The Vikings graduated a big class last year and are fighting to replace them.
“It could be a rebuilding year if the seniors do not play,” Porter said.
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VIRGIN VALLEY
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Jon Felix, ninth season
2015 record: 4-5 (3-4 Sunrise, fifth)
Returning lettermen: Nine
Top athletes: Isaac Talahytewa (Sr.), Chris Cannon (Sr.), Tyson Wilson (Sr.), Ryan Rushton (Sr.)
Outlook: After falling a match shy of qualifying for the postseason as a team last year, the Bulldogs have nine lettermen back.
“The boys team has several returning athletes, and most are seniors,” Felix said. “We are training hard with expectations to make it to the playoffs and do well.”
