Photo of Ben Forsyth/Sam Crisman courtesy of Amanda Lin
Boys Tennis:
Beginning with this season, the CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS) implemented a new Competitive Equity System, a data driven model aimed at fostering more balanced competition in the playoffs, where all teams have a fair chance at success.
Unlike previous years, where schools already knew what division they were in coming into the season, divisions are now determined at the end of the regular season, using current-season data, instead of data from prior years, as was formerly the case.
The hope is to see more comparable-level teams playing against one another in the playoffs.
If today’s match was any indication, the model seems to be doing its job, as it was clear from the get-go that the Minutemen and Eagles were evenly-matched.
Coming into this first Division 6 playoff match, the Minutemen were unable to practice since last week, due to rains in Pasadena, while the Eagles were able to hold full practices in sunny Lancaster.
While rust showed itself a bit in the first round of play, Maranatha managed to keep pace with Lancaster, 3-3, thanks to wins from #1 and #3 singles Cherif Sauma and Will Klop, and #2 doubles Nate Schumann/Russell Sze.
They each won, 6-1.
The second round of play saw a lone singles win from Sauma (6-2), but two doubles wins, as Schumann/Sze (6-3) were joined in the win column by #1 doubles Matt Yip/Reggie Park (6-1), keeping the match even at 6-6.
The final round was filled with tension, as both squads knew it was win-or-go-home.
The teams split the first two sets, evening the match at 7-7, with Yip/Park winning, 6-1, for the Minutemen, against the Eagles’ #3 team.
Sauma checked in next, with a convincing 6-0 win against the Eagles’ #3 singles player.
The crucial set was the Schumann/Sze set, as they played the Eagles’ top team, who hadn’t lost all day, including defeating Maranatha’s #1 Yip/Park, 6-2.
A win by Schumann/Sze would ensure at least a 9-9 tie.
A loss would likely mean a 10-8 loss for the Minutemen.
With the pressure squarely on them, they fell behind early, but “locked in,” caught up, and started applying pressure of their own, playing attacking tennis and building momentum, which secured them a 6-2 win, ensuring at least a 9-9 tie.
With the Minutemen ahead on games won (in case of a 9-9 tie, total games won are counted), as long as the remaining players on court didn’t lose too badly, the Minutemen seemed likely to move on to round 2 of the playoffs.
That calculation would prove to be moot, as #3 doubles Ben Forsyth/Sam Crisman forged an epic comeback from a 5-2 deficit, to win their only set of the day, 7-5, and clinch Maranatha’s 10th point, giving them the 10-8 victory.
With the win, the Minutemen advance to the 2nd round of playoffs and will host Carpinteria on Friday, who upset top-seeded, Jurupa Valley, 11-7 today.
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Photo by Tim Lunney Girls Athlete of the Week: Imagine a senior year in which an athlete is hitting in the .160’s, and in the first playoff game, they’re 0-for-4, including a walk, being hit by pitch and striking out. And then consider the dramatic roller coaster in watching your softball team surrender a 6-2 […]
Softball: Nadia Juarez tossed a five-hit shutout in Chino Hills’ 4-0 victory at Huntington Beach in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. Juarez didn’t issue a walk and registered three strikeouts. Juarez needed 85 pitches to finish what she started. Cali Bennett, Maleah Humble, Tea Gutierrez, Zariah Billinger and Siguenza had one […]
