Thanks to Maranatha tennis for this report
Boys Tennis:
Different league, same schools.
As original members of the modern Olympic League, there was a period where Maranatha and Village Christian dominated the league in boys tennis.
In 2012, the league title came down to the final match of the season between MHS and VCHS.
That match ended in a 9-9 tie, with the Crusaders winning on games, 70-69.
The following season marked the inaugural season for current coach, Arthur Hsieh, and some titanic 10-8 battles between the two programs, with Maranatha and Village Christian finishing first and second in league in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
While Maranatha was continuing to experience unprecedented success in their program (league titles each year, no league losses since 2013, 2 CIF-SS Finals Runners-Up, and 2 CIF-SS semi-finals appearances),
Village Christian’s program started to decline, eventually resulting in them dropping their boys tennis program entirely in 2016.
Last season, in the midst of COVID, they restarted their program and have developed a competitive and talented team, under the direction of Coach Jonathan Ngai.
Though the two squads played in 2021 (MHS won, 8-5), “the COVID season” dismantled the Olympic League for boys tennis, as another school dropped its program.
Both Maranatha and Village Christian migrated to the Coastal League this season and entered today’s match with the Minutemen leading the league at 4-0, and the Crusaders tied for second with Geffen Academy/UCLA at 3-1.
A win by VCHS would send all three teams into a three-way tie for 1st in league.
Today’s match had the feel and energy of the the MHS/VCHS rivalry a decade ago.
The Minutemen jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first round, as the singles squad (Tim Huang, Nico Engling, Laci Szabo) swept, 6-3, 6-0, 7-6(5), while the #1 and #3 doubles teams of Jordan Miao/Joshua Im and Shahe Yerevanian/Matt Yip, won, 6-1 and 6-3, respectively.
The second round went, 3-3, as Huang and Engling won, 6-0, 6-1, and Miao/Im won, 6-2, leaving the score at 8-4.
Huang started the scoring in the third round, recording another 6-0 win.
That was followed by the first win of the day by #2 doubles, Sean Tang/Sawyer Tarampi, 6-0, securing the Maranatha victory. Miao/Im checked in next with a 7-5 win.
The final set of the day was Engling’s dog fight with the Crusaders’ #1, Elijah Ngai, the coaches son.
Engling jumped out to a 2-1 lead before Ngai won five straight games to lead, 5-2.
Engling battled back to tie it a 5-5, and again at 6-6 to force a tie-breaker.
Engling faced deficits of 1-4, 2-5, and 3-6, but found a way to stay composed and stay aggressive, including a blistering serve at 5-6 to even the score.
Engling continued to impose his will, culminating with a forehand winner to complete the comeback.
The league season is far from over, and the final month of the season promises to be an exciting race to the finish, as Maranatha, Geffen Academy/UCLA, and Village Christian are all still in contention to claim the league championship.
The Div. 4 #5 ranked Minutemen (9-0 overall; 5-0 in league) next play California Academy of Math/Sciences on Wed., April 6, in another league match.
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