SOUTHERN REGION: Daniels spurs Chargers to title

Kenny Daniels never envisioned being in this position.

A season ago, the Clark senior wasn’t even playing high school tennis.

Mentored by his father Ken, a former professional tennis player, Daniels chose to join the Chargers at the most opportune time.  

Helped by the superior play of Daniels and doubles partner Chaitanya Ingle, Clark defeated The Meadows, 12-6, in the Division I-A boys Southern Region championship Friday at Darling Tennis Center.

“At the start of the season, I didn’t really expect this,” Daniels said. “But a couple weeks into practice, you knew this team was definitely going to be something special and we were going to go far. We just have so many talented guys who are willing to put in the work.”

Daniels and Ingle went 2-0 to pace the Chargers’ attack. The duo remains undefeated this season.

“They didn’t get together until late,” Clark coach Clarence Chun said. “We found out they had a good combination, so we kept them together. To be honest with you, I’m surprised by their undefeated season.”

Clark (16-1) commanded a 5-1 lead after the first round of play, before clinching the victory in the second round on Joseph Maalouf’s 6-3 decision in singles over the Mustangs’ Alex Lanzkowsky.

“I didn’t expect to get (the clinching point) in the second round,” said Maalouf, a senior. “I was serving really well today. I got a lot of my first serves in and placed the ball well.”

Mark McCrary and Caleb Chen also went 2-0 in doubles for the Chargers, and Mike Pasimio was 3-0 in singles.

“It feels great,” Chun said of the win. “Clark hasn’t done this in a long time. We knew we had a strong team, but you never going into a season thinking you’re going to win the whole thing.”

Clark benefited from beating The Meadows twice in the regular season.

“It helped immensely because we knew how they played, just like they knew how we played,” Chun said.

Mario Gamboa went 2-1 in singles to lead The Mustangs (13-3). The Meadows won four of its six points in the third round.

Both teams will advance to the state tournament.

Clark, which last won a state title in 1979, will face the Northern Region runnerup at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at Reno Tennis Center.

“We’re going up there expecting nothing less than state,” Daniels said. “We expect to go out there and play the same way. I hope it can be just as quick and easy as it was today.”

The Meadows will make its first trip to state since 2000. It will play the Northern Region champion at 9 a.m. Oct. 18.

“Meadows is a great school,” Daniels said. “They always give us a hard time. Today we played well and things went our way. That’s just what you get when everyone plays well and they handled their business.”